U.S., Iraqi security forces tighten grip on Baghdad

Miami Herald ^ | 2/9/2007 | Leila Fadel

[Hadean]

BAGHDAD - Iraqi police took over Shiite Muslim militia checkpoints Thursday at the main entrances to Baghdad's sprawling Shiite slum of Sadr City, one of many signs that the city's new security plan was beginning to take effect.

More Iraqi and American troops were on the streets, new barricades were in place and raids were under way around the city. Residents had trouble leaving their neighborhoods because of the new checkpoints, newly resurrected concrete blast walls, and Iraqi troops and police lined up on neighborhood roads.

Among those arrested was the deputy minister of health, whose ministry, like Sadr City, has been controlled by followers of Muqtada al Sadr, the firebrand Shiite cleric.

It was unclear whether the new plan would have a lasting impact. In Sadr City, for example, although the militiamen in black were gone from the checkpoints, residents said they had gone into hiding and would return. The Iraqi police have operated under the Shiite militiamen's control and had jointly manned checkpoints with Sadr's forces.

Mahmoud al Mashadani, the Sunni Muslim speaker of parliament, called the plan the government's ''last hour,'' but voiced concern about the security forces, which Shiite militias have infiltrated. ''The tools of the plan are corrupted,'' he said.

It was unclear how many of the more than 10,000 additional Iraqi troops in Baghdad had come from outside the capital, but at least 3,000 U.S. troops of the more than 20,000-troop buildup were in place. Their numbers have grown slowly but steadily in the past few days.

U.S.-backed Iraqi troops detained Deputy Health Minister Hakem al Zameli, who is accused of using millions in American dollars to pay for militia attacks, entrenching militia members in the ministry and using ministry equipment and facilities to kidnap and kill Sunnis.

In Washington, House Democratic leaders said that members will vote next week on a resolution stating opposition to President Bush's decision to send more U.S. forces to Iraq and voicing support for the troops.

House members will also get a chance to vote on a Republican alternative.

The leaders described the vote as the first step of many that will be taken by Democrats to try to force an end to the nearly four-year war that has killed more than 3,000 U.S. troops.

[baltoga]

Allow me to provide the Democratic response.

"It won't work - doom, doom, doom!"

[airborne]

Among those arrested was the deputy minister of health, whose ministry, like Sadr City, has been controlled by followers of Muqtada al Sadr, the firebrand Shiite cleric.

Funny. Doesn't the drive by media refer to John McCain a "firebrand" also?

[pissant]

An we are also killing the fleeing terrorists in outlying areas. God Bless the US Armed Forces.

[Albert Barr]

"It was unclear how many of the more than 10,000 additional Iraqi troops in Baghdad had come from outside the capital"

Well, at least 4,000 of them are from the Kurdish north...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1781822/posts