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US officers try edging their way into Sadr City
Washington Post - Los Angeles Times
Baghdad: The US military is engaged in delicate negotiations inside Sadr City to clear the way for a gradual push in coming weeks by more American and Iraqi forces into the volatile Shiite enclave of more than 2 million people, one of the most daunting challenges of the campaign to stabilise Baghdad.
So sensitive is the problem of the sprawling slum--heavily controlled by militiamen loyal to anti-American cleric Moqtada Al Sadr - that Gen. David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq, personally approves all targets for raids inside the Baghdad district, military officers said.
Lacking sufficient troops so far to move deeper into Sadr City, the military has cautiously edged into the southern part, conducting searches and patrols, handing out supplies and using offers of economic aid to try to overcome resistance.
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Meanwhile, US Special Operations forces and other US and Iraqi troops have detained militia leaders in an effort to weaken their organisation.
As additional US forces flow into Baghdad this month and next, the plan is to step up the presence of US and Iraqi troops in Sadr City, US commanders said in interviews over the past three weeks.
"More US forces are needed in Sadr City to establish greater control, with Iraqi forces. We have to be matched," Col. Billy Don Farris, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade and senior US officer for the area.
Commanders say they intend to use political negotiations to gain peaceful entry into the district, bringing with them Iraqi forces and reconstruction projects.
US officials hope "to take Sadr City without a shot fired," said Maj. Gen. Joseph Fil, the senior US general overseeing Baghdad.
'Second Fallujah plan'
But negotiations have had setbacks, with key players shot or intimidated. Farris, the lead American officer in the talks, was evacuated from Iraq and is recovering after being shot in the leg May 3 in a different part of Baghdad, his spokesman said last week.
If political avenues are exhausted, the US military has formulated other options, including plans for a wholesale clearing operation in Sadr City that would require a much larger force, but commanders stress that this is a last resort.
"A second Fallujah plan exists, but we don't want to execute it," a military officer in Baghdad said, referring to the US military offensive in November 2004 to retake the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah in Iraq's western Anbar province.
He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with reporters.
'Spider web'
Today, the small US units patrolling Sadr City do not venture far into its teeming neighbourhoods. Posters bear the frowning visage of Al Sadr and flags symbolise his militia, the Mehdi Army, whose influence reaches into every alley.
"Sadr City is like a spider web," said Lt. Col. Richard Kim, the US battalion commander in the area.
One recent morning, a convoy pulled up to a girls school, and US troops and Iraqi police officers piled out, heavily armed but with a benign mission: assessing classroom supplies.
Yet the school's somber-faced headmistress, sitting in her office with a poster of Al Sadr above her on the wall, confided her fears.
"We are receiving threats for taking school supplies from you," Ataf Abas Hamid Al Bayati told US troops through an interpreter. In search of refuge, she said, she had asked the United Nations to help relocate her.
Negotiations with local officials by US officers, stalled off and on by assassination attempts and other threats, this month achieved incremental progress with a project to put protective barriers around a main Sadr City market.
Iraqi police and contractors are now carrying out the project, which will take about three weeks to complete, said Lt. Col. David Oclander, of the 82nd Airborne.
Commanders stress that the "soft" approach to Sadr City does not apply to violent militia cells, which are targeted throughout the area by US Special Operations troops and other forces.
"More often than not, we're successful," said Staff Sgt. Dan Moss, of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Stryker Brigade.
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IRAQI SUNNI LEADER 'SUSPENDS' THREAT OF WITHDRAWAL FROM GOVERNMENT
Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi has "suspended" a threat to withdraw from the government, according to a May 22 press release posted to the Iraqi Islamic Party's website. The Iraqi Accordance Front, to which the party belongs, threatened earlier this month to withdraw from the government to protest the slow pace of reforms. The Islamic Party statement cited al-Hashimi as saying the threat to withdraw from government has not been canceled altogether. Kurdish and Shi'ite officials, including Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, have tried to persuade al-Hashimi in recent meetings to not pull out, and promised to follow through with the reforms pledged to Sunni Arabs in 2005, including constitutional reform. "We got off to a good start and had solemn promises, but there is still a long and arduous path ahead of us to review these files. I hope that these dialogues will end in Iraq's favor and in the Iraqis' favor," al-Hashimi said of the meetings. KR
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IRAQI PREMIER MARKS GOVERNMENT MILESTONE...
Nuri al-Maliki marked the first anniversary of the formation of the national unity government on May 22, Al-Iraqiyah television reported. In a speech broadcast on the state-run news channel, al-Maliki contended that 2006 tested the will of the Iraqi people, particularly following the February bombing of the Al-Askari shrine (see "RFE/RL Newsline," February 22, 2006), adding: "Sectarian war which threatened our national unity is now behind us." He acknowledged the ongoing insurgency, however, saying: "Regrettably, some have rebelled against [national] dialogue and reconciliation. We will deal with them firmly and in accordance with the law." KR
...AND CALLS FOR NATIONAL RECONCILIATION
Saying the national reconciliation plan is the "strongest weapon" to fight terrorism, al-Maliki vowed that a reconciliation does not mean a return of former Ba'athists to positions of power. He invited Iraqi tribes and civil society organizations "to form national salvation councils in all Iraqi governorates and to stand by the side of our armed forces in order to destroy the epidemic of terrorism, which is targeting Iraq." Regarding the current security situation, he said: "It is an open war against the terrorists. We are determined to strike all outlaws with an iron fist -- terrorist organizations, militias, armed groups, and crime gangs that tamper with the security of the country.... We will give a full chance for those who voluntarily lay down their weapons and return to the national rank. We will exhaust all political solutions before we begin taking military measures...to impose the authority of law." KR
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Baghdad Report: An Update on the Security Situation
PJM BarcelonaMay 21, 2007 2:47 AM
Violence is down in Baghdad just as it seems to be increasing in other strategic areas of Iraq. A sign that al-Qaeda is on the move, writes Omar Fadhil.
By Omar Fadhil, PJM Baghdad editor
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There hasn’t been any major security incidents in Baghdad since the attacks on three bridges in both its northern and southern suburbs on Friday May 11, more than a week ago. This doesn’t mean Baghdad is essentially calm: there are episodes -albeit minor and limited- still happening from time to time. They often go unreported, so there’s no information on whether they leave any casualties. Anyway, we do hear small blasts and bursts of machine guns a few times a day. In most cases it’s impossible to know whether those were raids by security forces or attacks by militants.
While there’s a decline in significant violence in the capital, there has been an increase in mortar and rocket attacks on the Green Zone as well as heavy attacks on other provinces, namely Diyala and Mosul. In Diyala the increase in violence is just relative, since the province and Baghdad were racing against each other in terms of violence. On the other hand, Mosul has recently been the scene of organized, large-scale attacks after months of relative calm. Mosul is luckier than Diyala, though, as the security forces have usually managed to repel the attacks and limit the losses.
The recurrence of terror attacks in the last few weeks has put a small town in Diyala at the forefront: Khalis. Northeast of Baghdad and the northwest of Baqubah, Khalis’ situation is somewhat similar that of Hibhib, a smaller town only a few miles from Khalis, one year ago. In the spring of 2006, Hibhib came under a series of repeated and concentrated terror attacks well above average in intensity and brutality, particularly after a string of beheadings. A few months later, in June 2006, Zarqawi was killed in an airstrike in Hibhib.
Similar incidents have been taking place recently in Khalis. The town suddenly registered more car bombs than any other in Iraq -in fact more than entire provinces- and last week teachers were ordered at gun point to shut down all the schools. That was only a few days after terrorists raided one school and beheaded two teachers, a man and a woman, in front of students and colleagues. In my opinion these attacks have the signature of the ‘mother cell,’ so to speak, and are very likely to be part of a slaughter and intimidation campaign in order to ‘prepare’ the town into becoming the new headquarters of al-Qaeda in Iraq or one of its main branches. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that the chiefs of the network are present over there right now.
Disturbing reports are coming from another town in the Diyala province: last week, terrorists murdered more than a dozen civilians in a village near Mendili called Qara Lus, in a largely peaceful Kurdish area at the eastern end of the province. This poor town’s problem is that it lies on the shortest road between Khalis and the border through Baqubah, which turns it into a strategic crossing point into Iran and back.
Even more telling, Qara Lus is where, in May 2006, the Diyala police disrupted a weapons smuggling operation from Iran that included antiaircraft weapons.
Let’s go back to the attacks on bridges. Cutting the Diyala river bridges and another one in Taji was likely not an offensive but a defensive action meant to deny US and Iraqi troops quick access to the main terrorists’ strongholds. The same measure was used by the Republican Guard during the late stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom in April 2003. If I’m not mistaken, the same three bridges were blown up back then in an attempt to slow the progress of coalition troops towards Baghdad. The only difference I see now is that the troops’ movement is largely from the center fanning out in raids on Baghdad suburbs: the terrorists probably thought that cutting the bridges would prevent US troops, mostly concentrated in Baghdad, from reacting fast to incidents in areas across those bridges.
I’ve also been following the worrisome news about the three missing US soldiers —most likely kidnapped— and I have to say that I found some parallels with the kidnapping of two other soldiers in the same area last year: they all took place only days after the capture or killing of senior al-Qaeda leaders and the launch of major security operations. Last year, the two soldiers were kidnapped only a week after Zarqawi was killed and two days after the government launched Operation Forward Together in Baghdad; this time, there were also a few senior al-Qaeda commanders killed just two weeks ago. And although Operation Imposing Law is three months old, a new campaign is just starting in Diyala. US commanders recently announced that 3,000 additional troops would be sent there to reinforce the units already there, and it looks like the kidnapping is an act of distraction or, rather, an attempt to force US commanders to redirect thousands of troops to a rescue mission, preventing the troop buildup in the region where the main bases of al-Qaeda are located. In other words, to keep pressure off the mother cells.
Identifying the actual main base of al-Qaeda isn’t easy to do. Looking at the two main routes of al-Qaeda and how the main strongholds around Baghdad are aligned, they suggest that the Fallujah area and its immediate surroundings still remain the main hub for terrorists.
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Iraqi, Coalition forces continue security efforts
Thursday, 24 May 2007
Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman and Dr. Ali Al-Dabbagh, spokesman for the government of Iraq, discuss the ongoing security efforts during a press conference held at the Combined Press Information Center Wednesday. Photo by by Spc. Emily Greene, Combined Press Information Center.BAGHDAD — A press conference discussing the status of security in Iraq was held at the Combined Press Information Center in the International Zone Wednesday.
Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman and Dr. Ali Al-Dabbagh, spokesman for the government of Iraq, talked about the progress that has been made and continuing efforts that will make Iraq a safer country.
“Our commitment to help Iraq’s government secure progress and provide hope for its people is strong and clear,” Caldwell said.
Coalition forces have been working hard with Iraqis to prepare them for their responsibility of protecting Iraq.
“We’re working with the MNF-I to supply and train the Iraqi forces so that they can handle the security at the end, because ultimately, they will be responsible about the security situation,” said Al-Dabbagh.
The challenges facing the Iraqi people are many as they are trying to establish a judicial system based upon fair treatment under the law while under assault from terrorists, said Caldwell.
“The Iraqi security force and its Coalition partners are taking on these outlaws,” Caldwell said. “We are helping the Iraqis fight Al-Qaeda, which is trying to plant its poisonous ideology in Iraq through horrific terror tactics and mass murders.”
During the past week, from May 16-22, Coalition forces conducted 45 focused operations against Al-Qaeda.
“These raids resulted in the killing of 19 terrorists and the detention of 88 more,” said Caldwell.
There are also ongoing missions to find the three missing Soldiers that were taken on May 12.
Iraqi Police did find the body of a man whom they believe may be one of the missing Soldiers, said Caldwell.
“We have received the body and we will work diligently to determine if he is, in fact, one of our missing Soldiers,” Caldwell said. “We continue to remain hopeful that we will find, safely, all three of our American missing Soldiers.”
Caldwell went on to praise the American Soldiers serving in Iraq for their hard work, sacrifice and bravery.
“I only hope that I was able to convey to you their incredible dedication, their commitment and their desire to help the Iraqi people and see a better way of life for the future,” he said.
(By Spc. Scott Kim, Combined Press Information Center)
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US willing to talk with armed groups in Iraq
Thursday, May 24, 2007 11:24 GMT
US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker said the US is willing to hold talks with armed groups in Iraq in order to push them into joining the political process, noting that the talks won’t include Al Qaeda Organization. Crocker said Iraqi officials are providing the means of communication with these groups confirming that the United States are willing to take the step in view of reaching national reconciliation.
As for the expected US-Iranian talks, Crocker affirmed that the talks will only include issues related to Iraq, saying the Iraqi government will participate in part of these talks. The US has not specified a date to start US-Iranian talks while Iran confirmed the talks are due on May 28, diplomatic sources told Alsumaria.
The US Ambassador reiterated Bush Administration’s support to the Iraqi government on the political and the security levels, saying that he is preparing to visit Anbar Province after he visited other Iraqi Provinces.
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© 2007 Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite Network
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Iraq delays ministerial amendments
Thursday, May 24, 2007 07:28 GMT
Iraqi Parliament has put forth the issue of constitutional amendments that awaits approval. Meanwhile, the Parliament started discussing more than 60 amended articles in the new Constitution mainly the increase of the Union Government allocations, gas and oil law as well as wealth distribution.
As for governmental amendments, a number of Iraqi lawmakers confirmed that the delay in announcing ministerial amendments thus the names of the new seven ministers is due to the fact that Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki thinks that the names would not obtain the Parliament’s majority vote of confidence.
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© 2007 Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite Network
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MENAFN) The U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Business Transformation announced that the U.S. Defense Department is once a gain working with the Iraqi government develop the country's industry and revive its economy, IDP reported.
He also said that the department's efforts include granting loans to Iraqi businesses and bringing international business leaders to the country and that the group's main aim is to help re-establish intra-Iraqi demand and promote Iraqi economic relations with the international community.
It is worth mentioning that the Defense Department has given fixed-term loans, amounting to around $20 million for the renewal of a limited twenty-four Iraqi companies.
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Statement by Ambassador Crocker on First Anniversary of the Democratically-Elected Government of Iraq
May 23, 2007
This month marks the first anniversary of the democratically-elected Government of Iraq. It is an important milestone, for the nation of Iraq and for the world. I congratulate Prime Minister al-Maliki and his government on what they have accomplished during their first year in office, and on what they have pledged to do in the immediate future for their country and their citizens.
The transformation of any nation to a democratic system is a complex process. My own nation took more than a decade, after our Declaration of Independence, to establish the system of government that we still cherish today. Other modern democracies went through their own challenging periods in the past. Iraq’s achievements during the last twelve months are truly admirable when viewed correctly from this perspective.
It is easy to focus on the problems and challenges – easy, but wrong. As Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte recently wrote, “When I was ambassador to Iraq two years ago, the country had no permanent government, no Council of Representatives, no constitution, no IMF Stand-By Arrangement, no hydrocarbon laws in draft or otherwise, no willingness to cut subsidies, no International Compact with Iraq, and no forum for constructive dialogue with its neighbors and international community leaders. Now all that exists. It is what the Iraqis and we are fighting for, and what the terrorists and extremists are fighting against.”
This is also a time to look to the future. At the recent meetings in Sharm el-Sheikh, Prime Minister al-Maliki said that his Government “did not present the national reconciliation initiative as a passing political slogan, but as a strategic vision and central objective, which the government and all sincere forces are seeking to achieve.” The United States fully supports this vision, and notes the importance of seeing specific actions by Iraqi leaders in the next few months to achieve this objective -- as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said, “It needs to be pursued urgently, and it needs to be pursued to completion.”
In the weeks ahead, the elected leaders of Iraq will be responsible for handling a number of important issues, including progress in hydrocarbon legislation, de-Ba’athification reform, arrangements for provincial elections, and Constitutional review, as well as ensuring that the daily business of the Government is handled efficiently. These are tasks that must be completed, and completed soon, to achieve the national reconciliation that the vast majority of Iraqis desire. The United States remains firmly committed to supporting the Government, nation, and people of Iraq as they move ahead rapidly with
this agenda, which is of vital importance to all Iraqis. Following his May 9 visit to Baghdad, Vice President Dick Cheney stated, “During the course of the meetings I emphasized the importance of making progress on the issues before us, not only on the security issues but also on the political issues that are pending before the Iraqi government. I was impressed with the commitment on the part of the Iraqis to succeed on these tasks, to work together to solve these issues.”
These efforts also merit, and need, the full support of the international community, particularly from Iraq’s neighbors. The meetings in Sharm el-Sheikh earlier this month brought the three elements together: the Iraqi Government spoke to its own responsibilities to foster national reconciliation and to create an Iraq for all Iraqis. The neighbors spoke to their desire to foster an environment in which that national reconciliation can take place. And the international community took its place alongside Iraq and its neighbors to with support for the democratically elected government of Prime Minister al-Maliki.
The first anniversary of democratic government in Iraq is a victory for the people of Iraq. They have selected their leaders, and they now have the right of every citizen in a democratic society: To expect actions and decisions from their elected representatives that serve the interests of every Iraqi. The United States will continue to assist and support this process of national reconciliation, so that Iraqis leaders and citizens will be able to create the conditions for a democratic, stable, secure, and unified Iraq that is a source of positive development in the region and beyond.
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Iranian money found in Baghdad raid: US military
Web posted at: 5/24/2007 2:27:26
Source ::: REUTERS
BAGHDAD • A large quantity of Iranian currency was found when US troops uncovered a cache of bomb-making materials in a raid on a Shi'ite stronghold in western Baghdad yesterday, the US military said.
The United States has accused Iran of fomenting violence in Iraq by backing Shi'ite militias, and of providing weapons and the technology for particularly deadly roadside bombs.
The military said two militants were killed in yesterday's raid and 19 people were detained during a search of 11 buildings in Sadr City, a sprawling Shi'ite slum which is a stronghold of anti-American cleric Moqtada Al Sadr. "The individual targeted during the raid is suspected of facilitating weapons shipments from Iran to secret cell terrorist elements in Baghdad, Basra and Maysan provinces," the US military said in a statement.
A search of the buildings uncovered "a large quantity of Iranian money" as well as $6,000 and bomb-making materials, the statement said.
Ambassadors from the United States and Iran will meet in Iraq on May 28 to discuss security in the country, a rare meeting between the two bitter rivals.
Iran denies it is fomenting violence in Iraq and accuses the United States of igniting tension between Iraq's Shi'ites and Sunni Muslims. The US military said on Monday it had killed Azhar Al Dulaimi, the mastermind of an audacious attack in January on a government compound in Kerbala.
One US soldier was killed during the raid on the Kerbala compound by men dressed in US military uniforms. Four other US soldiers were abducted and later killed.
US military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Garver said there was no evidence Iranian elements had been involved in that attack but said Dulaimi had reported back to Iran afterwards.
