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U.S. Soldiers Patrol Sadr City, October, 2004; Militants
Loyal to Firebrand Cleric Moqtada Sadr in Sadr City in August, 2004
Sadr City Council makes a 'Deal' With U.S. Forces
The mayor and city council of Sadr City, a restive area of Baghdad, have persuaded American forces to leave the security to local forces - once they are sure the Iraqis are capable of doing the job. But according to the story, which appeared in Iraq's Azzaman newspaper, it remains unclear when that might be.
By Ali Karim
June 21, 2005
Original
Article (English) 
The municipal council of Sadr City, Baghdad’s most populated quarter where more than 2 million
people live, has reached a new agreement with U.S. troops on policing the impoverished town.
Under the terms of the agreement, U.S. troops have agreed to withdraw from the city and
leave security to its fledgling police force. "We have set up a security operations
room in the city … the Americans are part of it … the tasks are to boost security
and to identify strangers and those causing trouble," said Hassan Shamaa,
the mayor of Sadr City. Shamaa said that the Americans have agreed, "to withdraw
once we have enough police officers in place."
The agreement is good news for many Iraqis
who do not want to see U.S. tanks and armored vehicles in their areas. It also
proves that U.S. troops are willing to leave residential areas once they are sure Iraqi
forces are capable of maintaining security. But Shamaa did not say when Iraqi
forces will be fully ready to take over security from American troops, but
he said that he was in contact with the ministries of Interior and Defense
as well as the prime minister to strengthen Sadr City’s security forces.
Moqtada SadrSadr City rose up against U.S. occupation forces last year, as militias of militant
cleric Moqtada Sadr fought street battles in the city’s warren of lanes and
one-story houses. But the militias have laid down their weapons, opting to
use peaceful and political means to achieve their goal of ending the presence
of foreign troops on Iraqi soil.
If Iraqi forces succeed in policing Sadr City on their own, the experiment is likely to spill over to other areas
of the restive Iraqi capital. Shamaa, however, said he hoped the withdrawal
of U.S. troops from his city would not end U.S. aid. He said his city needs immediate help to rebuild
public utilities like water and electricity.
Despite promises of massive aid after the
agreement last year, under which the militias opted for peace, Shamaa said
that only a trickle had reached his city.
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