Prime Minister Al-Maliki announced the beginning of the operations from the city of Karbala, al-Mada reported, and the official name of the Plan –used by the Iraqi government- is operation “rule of law” (‘imposing order’ or ‘imposing the law’ would be more literal translations).
Despite reports in the international media describing the operations to be, so far, executed mostly by American units; newspapers published in Iraq avoided focusing much on that point. Instead, Iraqi papers published biographies of the Iraqi general ‘in charge’ of the Security Plan and spotlighted Maliki’s speech announcing the Plan’s launch and its objectives. Az-Zaman, however, (in its International edition) said that the participating Iraqi units will be “reinforced” with American soldiers.
One of the interesting aspects of the Plan will be the creation of ‘popular committees’ that will be unarmed, officials said, tasked with “supporting the Baghdad security plan”- according to al-Mada. Ahmad al-Jalabi, the head of the ‘committee for popular mobilization’ said that six such committees will be created throughout Baghdad. Jalabi described the role of the committees as a link between security forces and municipal councils, he also said that the committees will be present during raids “to prevent the occurrence of Human Rights violations” and will participate in the process of returning the absentees’ homes. From his description, these organizations seem to be designed to provide information for the units involved in the Security Plan.
While Jalabi insisted that the ‘popular committees’ will not be armed, and will not have the prerogatives to search, arrest or establish checkpoints; we can only hope that these organizations will not bring back memories of the feared ‘national guard’ used by the Ba`this in the 1960s to repress ideological enemies. And from Jalabi’s description, there would be a very fine line between the committees being an instrument for peace and an apparatus for spying.
On the controversy surrounding Muqtada al-Sadr’s whereabouts, Az-Zaman quoted the US Army spokesman who said that al-Sadr is believed to be in Iran. Az-Zaman commented on this information by saying that they confirm previous rumors regarding a “deal” to “smuggle Sadr and a number of the Mahdi Army leaders” into Iran. The paper added that “sources” in the Iraqi Coalition (the Shi`a bloc, which includes the Sadr Current) confirmed that Sadr was in Iran.
In an another serious development on the same theme, Az-Zaman quoted “informed sources” who said that `Abdel Hadi al-Darraji, Sadr’s spokesman who is currently in US custody, told his interrogators that Sadr used to issue the orders to the Mahdi Army personally. Such revelations could make Muqtada al-Sadr personally responsible of the acts of violence that the Mahdi Army is being accused of committing. The same ‘sources’ added that Sadr was informed, prior to the launch of the Security Plan, that his name was on an ‘arrest list’ along with 60 Sadrist leaders, which prompted his escape. The ‘sources’ claimed that the wanted leaders have also been “smuggled” into Iran.
Meanwhile, top Sadrist leaders have denied the rumors of Sadr fleeing into Iran. According to Az-Zaman, Nassar al-Rubai`i, chairman of the Sadrist bloc, said that Sadr “is in Iraq and is going about his duties as usual”. Another Sadrist official, Basim al-`Adhari, claimed that Sadr was still in Najaf and that he did not leave the city.
Lastly, Al-Mada’s `Omar al-Shahir wrote a vivid article describing life in Baghdad under the Security Plan. According to al-Shahir, Baghdad has become a city of queues and body searches due to the heightened security measures and the scarcity of essential goods. One feature of the life of a Baghdadi -says al-Shahir- is the frequent body searches that have become mandatory for anyone wishing to ride public transportation or enter a restaurant, given the numerous suicide bombings in these locations. Another staple of life in Baghdad are the numerous and long queues, especially in front of gas stations, as oil-rich Iraq cannot provide enough oil derivatives for its citizens. A no-less bizarre phenomenon that al-Shahir noted is of Baghdadis ‘burying’ their weapons in their backyards, as they wish to keep a piece of weaponry within reach, ‘just in case’, which has made Baghdad’s gardens into “graveyards for arms”, says al-Shahir.
