Two visions of Iraq struggle to take hold

Even before the weekend cease-fire in Najaf, the Mahdi Army showed a greater willingness to change tactics to widen the war across the southern part of the country, and against Iraqi, US, and civilian targets inside Baghdad itself. Mahdi Army commanders confirmed attacks against a number of such targets, including the US Embassy, the Ministries of Oil, Finance, Sports and Youth, as well as the Sheraton and Palestine Hotels, where security contractors and journalists live.

"If the Americans continue to attack Najaf, we will make life in Baghdad a living hell," one Mahdi Army commander said in Sadr City, who confirmed that their fighters have begun to use mortar and Katyusha rockets against Iraqi government and civilian targets inside Baghdad.

Hours after the conference opened in Baghdad Sunday, insurgents fired a barrage of mortars that hit a commuter bus station, killing two people and wounding 17 others.

While the US and Allawi's government have said recently trained Iraqi forces would lead any assault in Najaf, Iraqi Army units have performed poorly in counter-insurgency so far. Generally, Iraqi soldiers have been reluctant to fight other Iraqis. Using domestic forces - many Shiites themselves - to mount a long-term siege or even to storm the shrine of Ali will prove a test of their loyalties.

"Allawi needs to take firm action, but that doesn't necessarily mean a raid on the shrine," says Mario Mancuso, a US Army captain who was stationed in Najaf last year. "It probably means something more thoughtful and persistent." He suggests more checkpoints, more cordons, surveillance of the insurgents, psyops, and carefully targeted attacks.

Government negotiator Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie said he planned to leave Najaf after talks with Sadr broke down Saturday. But participants say the negotiations were not entirely fruitless. The government agreed to allow Sadr safe passage to leave the Shrine of Ali. Other Sadr demands included:

• US forces should leave Najaf

• Shiite authorities should control holy shrines.

• Captured Mahdi Army fighters should be released, and supporters should be granted amnesty.

• Electric and water services should be restored to Najaf.

Sadr and his militia's goal is to establish a strict theocratic state in Iraq modeled on the Iranian revolution of Ayatollah Khomeini. Speaking at the shrine on Saturday, Sadr was belligerent after the breakdown in talks. "I am demanding that the people of Iraq in all provinces to call for the immediate resignation of the Iraqi government because it is an imperialistic American government," he said. "We are demanding the occupier to leave our country."

As fighting resumed Sunday in Najaf, journalists were ordered to leave and the streets were vacant. Iraqi police and military snipers could be seen on buildings at most major crossroads and American tanks have moved into position in the northeastern part of town near the Shrine of Ali.

Many of the residents of the Old City, some of whom had returned to their homes during the brief ceasefire, have fled once more. Sadiq Rasool, a government social-services worker from the Old City, visited his home Friday during the ceasefire but decided not to stay. "Some people don't want the peace to remain here," he said. "Whenever we are near a truce, they start shooting somebody to get it started again."

A relative of Mr. Rasool, Ali Yahya, a 10th-grade student, said that the situation is deteriorating in the Old City. "There is no security at all, there's no water, there's no electricity. All the people in the Old City request all sides to stop fighting. But you can see there are Iraqi police posted in their police station, and every time people drive by this police station, you can hear the bullets flying."

Mr. Yahya, whose parents left Lebanon 27 years ago because of the civil war there, now worries that the same thing could happen here. "We left Lebanon because of civil war. Now my father and mother say we're going to see another Lebanon here."

Page: 1 | 2