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In Sadr City, U.S. Mission Shifts From Urban Warfare to Reconstruction
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But Sadr City remains highly volatile and its residents susceptible to Sadr's whims and edicts.
Following his call, thousands took to the streets after Friday prayers this week in Sadr City and several other Shiite enclaves to protest a deal the Iraqi government is negotiating with U.S. officials to allow American troops to stay in Iraq after December, when the U.N. mandate that permits their presence in the country expires. Sadr has called for an immediate withdrawal.
Milano said the protests were "a good sign that they're willing to gather like that and express grievances. We welcome that."
In recent weeks, the U.S. troops have removed hundreds of truckloads of debris from Sadr City streets. They are rebuilding a portion of Jamila Market, which was apparently hit by an errant mortar shell. And they are trying to improve the area's ailing sewage system and power grid.
U.S. military officials say they hope quick-turnaround projects will allow them to build strong relationships with Sadr City's leaders.
On Saturday, a planned visit to two clinics that U.S. officials hope to restore illustrated their challenges.
One was abandoned, save for a small group of Iraqi soldiers who were using it as temporary living quarters. Damaged medical equipment and boxes of medicine lay in rooms cluttered with garbage and shattered glass.
At the other site, U.S. soldiers found a man in the main office. Through an interpreter, the soldiers told the man they were there to assess his needs and help him rebuild the clinic. They had brought a military surgeon who was willing to work with them, they said. The man and the soldiers exchanged pleasantries during a 15-minute conversation that became awkward toward the end.
"There has been some confusion," a military interpreter finally said. "This is not a clinic. This is a school."
The soldiers shook the man's hand and left.
Special correspondents Zaid Sabah in Baghdad and Othman al-Mokhtar in Fallujah contributed to this report.
9 Policemen Killed
A suicide bomber attacked a police checkpoint Saturday afternoon in the town of Hit, west of Baghdad, while the police chief was visiting, the city's mayor, Hikmat Ijbayer al-Gaud, said in a telephone interview. At least nine officers were killed, including the chief, Lt. Col. Khalil al-Nimrawi.
-- Ernesto Londoño
