U.S. hopes to counter Mahdi Army's clout in Baghdad

American forces in Iraq announced Monday ambitious public-works plans to win support in Sadr City.

from the April 15, 2008 edition

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Riyadh al-Nouri, director of Sadr's office in the southern city of Najaf, was shot and killed Friday while returning from prayers. Initially Sadr accused the US and Iraqi forces of the killing, but on Monday Sardists shifted blame to the Badr organization, a rival Shiite militia.

The US has had a rocky relationship with Sadr, at one point making public a warrant for his arrest after he launched an uprising against US soldiers in April of 2004. Some Iraqi politicians and US analysts argued against actions they said could turn Sadr into a martyr and complicate US goals in Iraq.

A cease-fire Sadr announced last year is seen as having played a key part in the reduction of violence that Iraq has experienced since the surge of US troops a year ago. Some analysts interpret the Petraeus and Gates overtures to Sadr as part of an effort to head off a cancellation of the cease-fire that could lead to new round of violence.

The US has reduced the number of rocket attacks on the Green Zone since a sudden uptick on March 27 by pushing into the southern third of Sadr City and setting up US and Iraqi operating bases there, senior American military officials say.

The aim now is to launch an ambitious plan of 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day public works and services-improvement projects designed to convince the local population that the Iraqi government – and not Sadr's Mahdi Army militia – is best able to improve the quality of life in an impoverished expanse of pot-holed streets, open sewers, and joblessness.

A senior American military official says conditions are different now from when earlier hearts-and-minds programs were launched. US and Iraqi military are now set up and living among the Sadr City residents in the "demonstration" area of the southern third of the sector, he says.

The official, who did not want to be quoted by name on a matter where he said the Iraqis have primary direction, added that the residents are "wearied" by the violence and of living under the control of a militia.

But residents are unlikely to reject the Mahdi Army fighters who control their streets as long as some benefits – jobs, business contacts, and some services such as healthcare – are derived from them, some analysts say.

Correspondent Sam Dagher contributed reporting from Baghdad.

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