BAGHDAD, March 31, 2008
Iraq Violence Calms But Green Zone Hit
Peace Deal With Al-Sadr Diminishes Fighting Though Al-Maliki Is Weakened
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Residents check damage to their apartments after a bombing and recent clashes between the Mahdi Army and Iraqi government forces backed by the US military in Sadr City, Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, March 31, 2008. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
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Twelve-year-old Haidar Mohammed, foreground, lies in hospital in the Shiite enclave of Sadr City in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, March 31, 2008. The boy was wounded in clashes Sunday between the Mahdi Army and government forces backed by the American military. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
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A Mahdi Army fighter stands next to a burning Iraq armored police vehicle outside a state-run al-Iraqiya TV facility in Basra, Iraq, March 30, 2008. Mahdi Army fighters stormed the facility in the southern city on Sunday, forcing Iraqi military guards surrounding the building to flee, and set armored vehicles on fire. (AP Photo/Nabil al-Jurani)
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An Iraqi police armored vehicle burns outside a TV facility in Basra, March 30, 2008. (AP Photo/Nabil al-Jurani)
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Play CBS Video Video Shiite Cleric Flexes Muscle In the battle for Iraq, Shiite cleric Moqtada al Sadr ordered his fighters off the streets after days of fighting with government forces in Baghdad and Basra. Lara Logan reports.
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Video Basra Crackdown Intensifies The Iraqi government's crackdown on Shiite militias in Basra is intensifying, and U.S. involvement in the conflict has grown with it. Lara Logan reports.
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Video U.S. Forces Join Basra Fight U.S. forces have joined the fight gripping Basra and Baghdad. Iraqi Security Forces called in at least two airstrikes as they try to put down a Shiite rebellion. Susan Roberts reports.
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Interactive Iraq: 5 Years At War Five years after the U.S.-led invasion, the war wears on.
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Photo Essay Week In Iraq Photos A daily diary with scenes of the latest attacks and snapshots from the effort to rebuild a nation.
The peace deal between al-Sadr and Iraqi government forces - said to have been brokered in Iran - calmed the violence Monday, but left the cleric's Mahdi Army intact and Iraq's U.S.-backed prime minister politically battered and humbled within his own Shiite power base.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had promised to crush the militias that have effectively ruled Basra for nearly three years. The U.S. military launched air strikes in the city to back the Iraqi effort.
But the ferocious response by the Mahdi Army, including rocket fire on the U.S.-controlled Green Zone and attacks throughout the Shiite south, caught the government by surprise and sent officials scrambling for a way out of the crisis.
The confrontation enabled al-Sadr to show that he remains a powerful force capable of challenging the Iraqi government, the Americans and mainstream Shiite parties that have sought for years to marginalize him. And the outcome cast doubt on President George W. Bush's assessment that the Basra battle was "a defining moment" in the history "of a free Iraq."
With gunmen again off the streets, a round-the-clock curfew imposed in Baghdad last week was lifted at 6 a.m. Monday, except in Sadr City and two other Shiite neighborhoods. Streets of the capital buzzed with traffic and commerce.
Several rockets or mortars slammed Monday into the Green Zone, the nerve center of the American mission in Iraq. But the U.S. Embassy said there no reports of serious injuries. At least two Americans working for the U.S. government were killed in Green Zone attacks last week.
An American soldier was killed Monday by a roadside bomb in northeastern Baghdad, the U.S. military said without specifying whether the attack occurred in a Shiite or Sunni area. The military also said a U.S. soldier wounded south of Baghdad on March 23 died Sunday in Germany.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in Copenhagen, Denmark that the violence in Shiite areas had not changed American plans to withdraw more combat forces this spring.
Republican Sen. John McCain, who has linked his presidential campaign to the conduct of the war, said he was "surprised" that al-Maliki had ordered an operation in Basra rather than keeping the focus on fighting al Qaeda in Iraq in the northern city of Mosul.
Fighting in the south helped make March the deadliest month for Iraqis since last summer, according to figures compiled by The Associated Press.
At least 1,247 Iraqis, including civilians and security personnel, had been killed as of Monday, according to figures compiled from police and U.S. military reports. The figure was nearly double the tally for February and the biggest monthly toll since August, when 1,956 people died violently.
In ordering his militia to stop fighting, al-Sadr also demanded concessions from the Iraqi government, including an end to the "illegal raids and arrests" of his followers and the release of all detainees who have not been convicted of any offenses.
Sadrists in Basra complained police were still conducting raids in the area Monday night and that their followers might start carrying weapons again for self-defense.
Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh welcomed al-Sadr's decision but told reporters Monday that no political group was above the law. Al-Sadr's supporters believed the security crackdown in Basra was aimed at weakening their movement before provincial elections this fall.
U.S. and Iraqi officials insisted the operation was directed at criminals and rogue militiamen - some allegedly linked to Iran - but not against the Sadrist movement, which controls 30 of the 275 seats in the national parliament.
But well-informed Iraqi political officials said the Iranians played a key role in hammering out the peace deal, boosting the Islamic Republic's influence among the majority Shiite community. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.
According to one Shiite official, the deal was struck after hours of negotiations in the Iranian holy city of Qom involving key figures in Iraq's major Shiite parties and representatives of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Two of the Iraqis present - Ali Adeeb and Hadi al-Amri - presented documents and photos which they claimed proved that al-Sadr's militia was receiving Iranian weapons, the official said.
Shiite-dominated Iran is believed to supply weapons, money and training to most Iraqi Shiite factions - a charge the Iranians deny.
The Iraqi officials would not elaborate on Iran's role, and efforts to contact Iraqi representatives who took part in the Qom meetings were unsuccessful.
Iran has been eager to maintain unity among Iraq's factious Shiites, believing that is the best way to ensure a pro-Iranian government in Baghdad.
"By all reports, Iran's role is not good," said Michael O'Hanlon, foreign policy expert at the Brookings Institution. "They're arming all groups. ...They want influence with everyone."
A day after al-Sadr's call, Iraqi officials sought to present his decision as a victory for the government, despite the failure of U.S.-backed Iraqi forces to dislodge Mahdi fighters from Basra strongholds.
Al-Dabbagh said security operations in Basra would continue until the city "reaches a secure and acceptable situation" where residents can live "without threats or terrorism from any side."
Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf said that as of Monday, Iraqi forces had killed 210 "criminals" in Basra, arrested 155 others and seized large quantities of rockets and roadside bombs.
Nonetheless, the outcome of the Basra crisis dealt a blow to the credibility of al-Maliki, who flew to the city last week to oversee the crackdown personally.
On Saturday, al-Maliki had promised "a decisive and final battle" and gave assurances he would remain in Basra until the militias were crushed. A key adviser to al-Maliki, Sami al-Askari, said the prime minister was expected to return to Baghdad this week.
With tensions easing, Iraqi government television reported that a high-profile official was released Monday evening four days after he was seized by gunmen from his east Baghdad home.
Tahseen al-Shiekhly serves as the civilian spokesman for the Baghdad military command and regularly appears before reporters to tout improvements in security.
In Basra, residents said by telephone that the city, headquarters of Iraq's vital oil industry, was generally calm except for sporadic explosions and machine gun fire.
Some residents, however, estimated that only about a quarter of the shops and businesses opened Monday because any people were apprehensive that the truce would hold.
"The whole situation is a big farce," said one resident, who gave his name only as Abu Mohammed, or father of Mohammed. "I think the situation will return to normal again but the problem will never be solved. Gangs, smugglers and corrupt people will go back to doing what they were doing before."
In other developments:
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Add a Comment See all 101 Comments
- I might add... YOU make ME sick! Ha!Ha! Only 294 days left! Enjoy bushie boy! Ha!
Posted by leftyintexas at 09:02 AM : Apr 01, 2008
He is. Hillaryin012 is so dumb, that he is probably thankful when he''s pumping $4 gallons of gas in his car, after driving past dozens of "foreclosure" signs on the way to pick up his welfare check. - Reply to this comment
- The enemy knows all to well that you share the same enemy as them. Thats why they use you all the time for their propaganda purposes. Your whole life revolves around this alliance with the enemy. Better get used to the fact that we are not leaving there before you find yourself joining them.....
Posted by hillaryin012 at 08:51 AM : Apr 01, 2008
If all you can do is post this Fox News BS, then why do you even bother posting?
Bush, McCain, Iraq, the economy - they''re all failures, and all because of failed neo con policies. You can sit here and pretend that everything is perfect, and George Bush is "god", but you do it in the face of logic and reason. Common sense, disagrees with your posts. - Reply to this comment
- The only one that has been beaten here is you. Stop rooting for the enemy. You make me sick.
Posted by hillaryin012 at 08:31 AM : Apr 01, 2008
I might add... YOU make ME sick! Ha!Ha! Only 294 days left! Enjoy bushie boy! Ha! - Reply to this comment
- The enemy knows all to well that you share the same enemy as them. Thats why they use you all the time for their propaganda purposes. Your whole life revolves around this alliance with the enemy. Better get used to the fact that we are not leaving there before you find yourself joining them.....
Posted by hillaryin012 at 08:51 AM : Apr 01, 2008
I couldn''t care less if the ''enemy'' and I share a common hated of Doofus. I also hate his supporters as much as him. I hope that makes you sleep better bushie boy. - Reply to this comment
- The only one that has been beaten here is you. Stop rooting for the enemy. You make me sick.
Posted by hillaryin012 at 08:31 AM : Apr 01, 2008
The only enemy in this is Bush. He removed Saddam Hussein from power, destabilized the entire country, installed a democracy that nobody cares about or listens to, and now Muqtada al Sadr, the firebrand terrorist leading cleric is filling the power vacuum. That''s not rooting for the enemy - that''s the fact on the ground.
And it just further proves the point, that Bush made Iraq safe for terrorists.
I wonder what Bush is going to when al Sadr finally overthrows the country like the Ayatollah Khomenini did in Iran in the late 70''s? - Reply to this comment
- "BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iran was integral in persuading Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to halt attacks by his militia on Iraqi security forces, an Iraqi lawmaker said Monday.
Haidar al-Abadi, a member of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki"s Dawa Party, said Iraqi Shiite lawmakers traveled Friday to Iran to meet with al-Sadr. They returned Sunday, the day al-Sadr told his Mehdi Army fighters to stand down."
Posted by Iceman_1960 at 12:11 AM : Apr 01, 2008
Politicians and "political" governments are limited by physical borders, where religious leaders can rule their minions from anywhere.
This is just proving my point that we are dealing with the wrong leaders of Iraq. Maliki is nothing more than a Bush puppet, leading the "democratically elected government", but the people are following the will of al Sadr and his "religious militia" - not Maliki. They don''t care about democracy. - Reply to this comment
- Bush is a warmonger and looser!!
i can not believe that someone found his daughter''s profile at __agemingle.com__ one famous dating site for singles! wow~ u guys can have a loook! - Reply to this comment
- al-Maliki claims that he''ll crush the militias and then can only make headway if his occupier/puppetmaster comes to save the day. Al-Sadr wins the street cred on this one.
And, this shows we can never stand down in Iraq because our puppets can''t stand up alone against the real power in Iraq. - Reply to this comment
- "BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iran was integral in persuading Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to halt attacks by his militia on Iraqi security forces, an Iraqi lawmaker said Monday.
Haidar al-Abadi, a member of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki"s Dawa Party, said Iraqi Shiite lawmakers traveled Friday to Iran to meet with al-Sadr. They returned Sunday, the day al-Sadr told his Mehdi Army fighters to stand down." - Reply to this comment
- The violence in Iraq will not stop, these people love killing each other! China has to love this mess, they are making money hand over fist on those magnet''s and cheap flag''s! So RA RA to the neocons!!!!!
- Reply to this comment
- The violence in Iraq has always increased starting in April. We''re off to an early start this year. It''s going to be a long hot deadly summer.
But what''s another 1000 American lives, 10,000 Iraqi lives and 200 billion dollars that will be lost soon? All in the name of peace and freedom. Excuse me while I wave my flag and put another ribbon magnet on my car. Keep that $100 a barrel oil flowing. I mean keep liberty flowing. - Reply to this comment
- It''s just like the wizard of oz remember "Don''t pay any attention to that man behind the curtain"!
- Reply to this comment
- Yeah and what tick''s me off is they are a draft dodger and the king of deferments ie. I had better thing''s to do! They don''t mind sending everyone else''s kid''s to war but these coward''s wouldn''t go themselve''s! Economy''s great, everything''s fine!
- Reply to this comment
- Probably another BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID!
Posted by rebelscout at 07:18 PM : Mar 31, 2008
They can''t help it. It''s like kids in a candy store, only with war. - Reply to this comment
- McCain... It''s safe here if you have 100 troop''s guarding your little pic op! This guy may be right about 100 years but can''t trust the lying old ***!
- Reply to this comment
- No joke McVet, This admin. has been played like I haven''t seen ANYONE get played! They must be laughing their a$$e$ off at how utterly stupid Dumbya and his gang of idiot''s are! Yes, give us all the money and weaken yourselves!
- Reply to this comment
- The peace deal between al-Sadr and Iraqi government forces - said to have been brokered in Iran - calmed the violence Monday, but left the cleric''s Mahdi Army intact and Iraq''s U.S.-backed prime minister politically battered and humbled within his own Shiite power base.
This is called a Butt Whoopin folks... a BIG TIME butt whoopin!! Sieg Heil Bush - Reply to this comment
- They have perfected that haven''t they? So, with a loaded supreme coup(or court,I can''t decide which) will it be steal or attack Iran? The boogeyman is coming to get us. If our internal security is so good(according to dumbya) we should be fine, right? LOL!!!
- Reply to this comment
- Probably another BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID!
Posted by rebelscout at 07:18 PM : Mar 31, 2008
It''s either scare or steal.
First some last minute apparition by that old faithful - Bin Laden.
Then expect another a repeat of Florida 00 and Ohio 04.
One thing these neocons don''t do easily is give up!
Because too much money is on the line! - Reply to this comment
- You can just about count on some move right before the elections. Probably another BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID!
- Reply to this comment
