.Appeal of Militias Seen As Iraq Obstacle
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - U.S. soldiers trying to win back Baghdad's streets say they have been surprised by the power and popularity of Shiite militias, whose presence they view as a major obstacle to curbing violence in the city.
Some soldiers, interviewed during operations in recent days in eastern Baghdad, said they believe the militias outnumber and outgun Iraqi forces. That is troubling because Iraqi forces are supposed to maintain order once the Americans are gone.
Even more troubling, the soldiers suspect that militia leaders, most notably radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, enjoy greater support among the Shiite residents of the capital than do Iraqi security forces.
"If the Iraqi police and Iraqi army had a guy like (al-Sadr) - someone people believe in - maybe they'd be a little stronger," said Capt. Dwayne Waits, 30, of Little Rock, Ark. "You see posters of him all over the place, but you don't see posters of the Iraqi police chief or an Iraqi army colonel."
More than 3,000 of the best-equipped U.S. troops from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team were moved to Baghdad last month after Iraqi forces failed to stem Sunni-Shiite killings in the capital, renewing fears of civil war.
U.S. commanders hope that American troops will find and sweep away enough weapons and militiamen to allow Iraqi troops to regain control.
But while attacks in Baghdad are down somewhat from a summertime high, suicide bombings and death squad killings have increased in recent days.
In the first days of the offensive, the 172nd Strykers moved through some Sunni and religiously mixed neighborhoods west of the Tigris River, which flows through the center of Baghdad.
Now they are focusing on the Shiite neighborhoods of eastern Baghdad such as Shaab and Ur, where support for al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia is strong.
When U.S. troops first entered Shaab and Ur, children threw rocks at them - sometimes in full view of Iraqi forces. The soldiers found posters of al-Sadr prominently displayed, along with several flowing banners warning "Death to the Infidels."
U.S. officials consider the Mahdi Army and other armed groups a threat to the authority of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government of national unity.
But many Shiites believe the militias are their best protection against Sunni insurgents and religious zealots - who have killed thousands of Shiites since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003.
"Everyone's drawn to militias, which give immediate results, which is what they want," said Staff Sgt. Justin Nelson, 26, of Stockton, Calif. "It goes back to popular support for the militias."
The militias also are linked to politicians - both Sunnis and Shiites. That requires the Americans to move carefully.
"Everything is so political now with the political support for these militias. You can't step on anyone's toes when you're trying to bring these people to justice," Nelson said.
Iraqi forces recognize the threat and power of the militias - adding to problems in the ranks.
Recently, Iraqi troops assigned to build checkpoints to block outgoing traffic didn't show up for work on time, leaving U.S. soldiers scrambling to build makeshift barriers.
"That's just the way they work," said Waits, assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment. The Iraqi soldiers later appeared, but allowed much of the traffic to pass without a search. Some Iraqi police officers even helped move the barriers that Americans had put in place.
All that leaves many U.S. soldiers wondering whether the Iraqis will be able to maintain control once the Americans move on.
Iraqi forces "are not afraid to do the job, to go out there and defend themselves. But I think they know they're outnumbered," said Capt. David Ramirez said. "I think that when we go in there with them in an area - that at least evens things out for them."
Waits said he feared the U.S. and Iraqis don't have enough forces to control Baghdad, a city of about 6 million people.
"We have a brigade here, but Baghdad is a big place," Waits said. "Iraqi security forces are supposed to take over after we leave, but they're not always that good. After we leave, it's back to them."
Sectarian hatred is palpable.
One Sunni Arab widow, whose Shiite husband died years ago, told Ramirez recently that she had been forced to flee her Sunni neighborhood because her children were Shiite.
She sought refuge in mostly Shiite Shaab, only to face threats from Shiite militiamen who didn't want Sunnis living there, Ramirez said. She is now homeless and roaming the streets of Shaab, begging the Americans to take her from Iraq.
"This is a peacekeeping operation between people who don't want peace," said one officer who asked not to be named so he could speak freely. "What's going to happen here is going to happen."
MyWay
Some soldiers, interviewed during operations in recent days in eastern Baghdad, said they believe the militias outnumber and outgun Iraqi forces. That is troubling because Iraqi forces are supposed to maintain order once the Americans are gone.
Even more troubling, the soldiers suspect that militia leaders, most notably radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, enjoy greater support among the Shiite residents of the capital than do Iraqi security forces.
"If the Iraqi police and Iraqi army had a guy like (al-Sadr) - someone people believe in - maybe they'd be a little stronger," said Capt. Dwayne Waits, 30, of Little Rock, Ark. "You see posters of him all over the place, but you don't see posters of the Iraqi police chief or an Iraqi army colonel."
More than 3,000 of the best-equipped U.S. troops from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team were moved to Baghdad last month after Iraqi forces failed to stem Sunni-Shiite killings in the capital, renewing fears of civil war.
U.S. commanders hope that American troops will find and sweep away enough weapons and militiamen to allow Iraqi troops to regain control.
But while attacks in Baghdad are down somewhat from a summertime high, suicide bombings and death squad killings have increased in recent days.
In the first days of the offensive, the 172nd Strykers moved through some Sunni and religiously mixed neighborhoods west of the Tigris River, which flows through the center of Baghdad.
Now they are focusing on the Shiite neighborhoods of eastern Baghdad such as Shaab and Ur, where support for al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia is strong.
When U.S. troops first entered Shaab and Ur, children threw rocks at them - sometimes in full view of Iraqi forces. The soldiers found posters of al-Sadr prominently displayed, along with several flowing banners warning "Death to the Infidels."
U.S. officials consider the Mahdi Army and other armed groups a threat to the authority of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government of national unity.
But many Shiites believe the militias are their best protection against Sunni insurgents and religious zealots - who have killed thousands of Shiites since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003.
"Everyone's drawn to militias, which give immediate results, which is what they want," said Staff Sgt. Justin Nelson, 26, of Stockton, Calif. "It goes back to popular support for the militias."
The militias also are linked to politicians - both Sunnis and Shiites. That requires the Americans to move carefully.
"Everything is so political now with the political support for these militias. You can't step on anyone's toes when you're trying to bring these people to justice," Nelson said.
Iraqi forces recognize the threat and power of the militias - adding to problems in the ranks.
Recently, Iraqi troops assigned to build checkpoints to block outgoing traffic didn't show up for work on time, leaving U.S. soldiers scrambling to build makeshift barriers.
"That's just the way they work," said Waits, assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment. The Iraqi soldiers later appeared, but allowed much of the traffic to pass without a search. Some Iraqi police officers even helped move the barriers that Americans had put in place.
All that leaves many U.S. soldiers wondering whether the Iraqis will be able to maintain control once the Americans move on.
Iraqi forces "are not afraid to do the job, to go out there and defend themselves. But I think they know they're outnumbered," said Capt. David Ramirez said. "I think that when we go in there with them in an area - that at least evens things out for them."
Waits said he feared the U.S. and Iraqis don't have enough forces to control Baghdad, a city of about 6 million people.
"We have a brigade here, but Baghdad is a big place," Waits said. "Iraqi security forces are supposed to take over after we leave, but they're not always that good. After we leave, it's back to them."
Sectarian hatred is palpable.
One Sunni Arab widow, whose Shiite husband died years ago, told Ramirez recently that she had been forced to flee her Sunni neighborhood because her children were Shiite.
She sought refuge in mostly Shiite Shaab, only to face threats from Shiite militiamen who didn't want Sunnis living there, Ramirez said. She is now homeless and roaming the streets of Shaab, begging the Americans to take her from Iraq.
"This is a peacekeeping operation between people who don't want peace," said one officer who asked not to be named so he could speak freely. "What's going to happen here is going to happen."
MyWay
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