In Sadr City, a Repressed but Growing Rage

Iraqis in the Shiite enclave of Sadr City, in Baghdad, hold a poster of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr at a rally against the United States. Sadr's backers say they are being targeted by the Iraqi army. (By Adil Al-khazali -- Associated Press)

Sadrist organizers and Mahdi Army fighters began to yell at the crowd, saying: "Whoever loves the Sayyid should walk away." They created a human chain around the soldiers and the Humvees to prevent the demonstrators from attacking the soldiers. In 15 minutes, the crowds dispersed, vanishing into the warren of narrow streets.

In interviews, some Mahdi Army commanders and tribal leaders accused the Iraqi forces of sectarianism, saying that many officers are Sunnis bent on taking revenge for past violence. Others accuse their political rivals, Shiites who lead Iraq's government, of using the army against the Sadrists to weaken the movement ahead of provincial elections, expected early next year.

"They are trying to divide us and rule. They are trying to plant people among us to work against us," Naseer said.

Many commanders and leaders accuse the Iraqi army of reneging on their agreement with Sadr to not target his followers. They say soldiers are launching raids and making arrests without court-issued warrants based on rumors or false intelligence provided by Sadr's opponents.

"We brought this government into power," Abu Zahara said, referring to Sadr's early support for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that propelled him into power. "Now they have betrayed us."

In an interview, Gen. Mizher Mishaher, commander of the Iraqi Army's 11th division, which is responsible for Sadr City, denied the accusations. He said his soldiers are targeting only the criminal elements in the Mahdi Army and those in "special groups" backed by neighboring Iran. Downplaying the impact of Sadr's cease-fire, he added that the Mahdi Army has not risen up because "our forces are everywhere."

"Anyone who terrorizes our people, our forces will chase them and arrest them. Anyone who holds a weapon, we will treat him as an enemy," Mishaher said. "No one controls Sadr City, unless they are from the 11th Division."

But on several recent visits to Sadr City, it was apparent that Sadr and his Mahdi Army still exert control. On virtually every street corner, Sadr glares from posters. On walls, black graffiti denounces his main Shiite rivals: Maliki and his Dawa Party as well as Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, part of the country's ruling coalition.

Many Mahdi Army fighters who battled U.S. and Iraqi troops this year have returned to their jobs. But they still patrol their streets at night. Residents watch for strangers or U.S and Iraqi soldiers. Sadr's office continues to provide cooking oil and other basic items and services to residents.

Still, the fighters are under immense pressure. Outside the tan house, a man walked up to a visitor's car and took a photo of the license plate, then rushed away. Some fighters became nervous because they believed the man was an informant. They quickly moved the conversation to another house down the street. A half-hour later, they wrapped up the discussion, concerned that Iraqi forces would raid their street.

They said they left not out fear, but because they could not retaliate. Some fighters and tribal leaders wondered how long the current stalemate would last.

"Perhaps the situation will get worse," Naseer said. "If you put a lot of pressure on something, it will explode one day."