Shiites rally against US presence in Iraq

Residents of the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City on Mar. 16 showed signs of growing resentment toward the presence of US troops in the area, chanting "No occupation!" and "No America!" in a march demanding the removal of a US base there. The Sadr City protest followed Friday prayers, which featured a statement from Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr calling on followers to "raise your voices in unity" against "America, the grand devil." The statement, read by a prominent cleric close to Sadr, marked a toughening of his rhetoric as the US touts its foothold in Sadr City. Officials in his organization said the cleric was advocating a peaceful uprising. "Raise your voices, all of you loving your brothers and united against your enemy saying as your leader taught you, 'No America, no Israel, no, no Satan,' by standing and demonstrating that way," Sadr's statement said. Some residents said they wanted US troops out because they blamed the United States for the violence plaguing Iraq. "It is the feeling of any patriotic citizen. I am not saying this as a resident of Sadr City but as an Iraqi: since they came we have seen nothing but poverty, unemployment and hunger," said Raad Salman. He was one of several thousand people who joined the demonstration immediately after Friday prayers, which traditionally draw thousands of worshipers. Thousands of Sadr's followers demonstrated in several parts of Iraq to protest the US occupation. They denounced the neighborhood security outposts and garrisons being set up under the new security plan and demanded a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops. The relationship between the United States and Sadr has become increasingly complex since the new security crackdown. Sadr frequently has called for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. But in recent weeks he has become an indirect ally of US military officials. He pulled his Mahdi Army militia off the streets when the plan was launched, reportedly as a favor to Iraq's Shiite Muslim prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki. That accommodation has helped US forces carry out their operations. But analysts have been suggesting that Sadr risks losing his credibility as a voice of resistance if he is perceived as helping the US cause. Concern over that possibility could explain his statement Friday. Sadr's whereabouts remains unknown and he has not appeared in public since the security plan was launched. His aides have denied US officials' suggestions that he went to Iran to evade the crackdown, which will put tens of thousands of US and Iraqi security personnel on the streets. The rallies came one day after gunmen attacked a convoy carrying the mayor of Sadr City, Rahim al-Darraji, leaving him seriously wounded and killing at least two of his bodyguards. Darraji, a Sadr appointee, took part in negotiations with US officials to allow US troops to conduct security sweeps and build a garrison in Sadr City. One high-level Sadr City official said that he believed Darraji was targeted for working with US forces and backing the security plan, and that Sadr's militia was probably to blame. He declined to be identified further out of fear for his life.