Iraq dismisses 1,300 security force personnel for poor performance during Basra operations; Gates: Sadr not an enemy if he plays a ‘peaceful’ role in Iraqi politics; Gen. Petraeus: Iraq situation ‘fragile and reversible’
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    • After 6 days of fighting which killed over 200 people and injured nearly 600, Moqtada Al-Sadr called on his followers to stop fighting the Iraqi and coalition forces in Basra on March 30. Reports noted that the suspension of the fighting was a blow to the authority of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki who had vowed not to stop the offensive until the militias were neutralized1. In return for the suspension, Sadr demanded a general amnesty to his followers and a release of members of his organization not convicted of crimes. The fighting in Basra, seen as an attempt by Mr. Maliki to rein in the Sadrists ahead of the provincial elections in October, once again exposed the rift between Iraq’s major Shiite factions. It also showed the Iraqi security forces in poor light as the Iraqi government had to dismiss over 1,300 security personnel for their lack of performance or refusal to fight during the Basra offensive2.

    PM Maliki threatened further raids against militias on April 4 but again went back on his decision “in order to give a chance to those who have repented and want to lay down their weapons3.” However, fighting in Sadr City on the outskirts of Baghdad between government forces and Sadr followers escalated after that leading to the death of over 80 people. The violence subsided later in the week. Sadr also called for a million-man march to protest against the American occupation on its fifth anniversary, a decision which he later did not carry out fearing attacks against his supporters from the American and Iraqi forces4. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates on his part told reporters in Pentagon that Sadr will not be treated as an enemy of the Untied States if he chose to play a peaceful role in Iraqi politics5.

    In other developments, Gen. David Petraeus, appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 8 termed the situation in Iraq as “fragile and reversible” and called for a decision on further troop withdrawals to be delayed6. President Bush on April 10 endorsed the recommendation of Gen. Petraeus of a 45-day freeze after the current troop drawdown before any further withdrawals were undertaken7. Mr. Bush and the US Ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker also called on Arab nations to be more pro-active in their engagement with Baghdad. President Bush sent diplomatic envoys to Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates urging them to follow the example of Bahrain which had recently opened its embassy in Baghdad8.

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