In May the U.S.
occupation forces in Iraq
negotiated a ceasefire with the largest and most organized section of the Iraqi
resistance, the Mahdi Army led by Muqtada
al-Sadr. This army had fought the U.S. Marines to a
standstill in Fallujah and Najaf,
forcing them to withdraw from the field of battle because of the heavy losses
they were suffering. The U.S.
hoped that the ceasefire would enable it to concentrate on crushing the smaller
resistance organizations and clear the way for the newly appointed Iraqi
interim government to take charge of day-to-day security matters.
Unfortunately
for the Americans, matters have not developed as they had hoped. The resistance
has escalated steadily throughout the country, with widespread attacks on both
the occupation forces and their collaborators. Meanwhile, in Fallujah, Najaf and large
sections of Baghdad, the Mahdi Army has become the de facto state, rebuilding the infrastructure, policing the streets
and providing basic social programs. American forces have stayed well clear of
those areas for several weeks.
However, during
the past week the ceasefire appears to have ended with U.S.
forces attempting a large-scale action against Mahdi
Army positions in Najaf. Heavy casualties are being
reported on both sides, including the loss of a U.S.
helicopter gunship. Civilian casualties are also reported to be high, as the U.S.
has bombarded residential areas with heavy artillery and rocket fire. After a
day of intense fighting, it was reported that the U.S.
forces withdrew to their previous positions, but daily clashes have occurred
since..
It is not clear
what the U.S.
military hopes to accomplish with this action. The security situation in Iraq
is already untenable, with many aid agencies and construction companies
withdrawing their employees because they cannot protect them. The American
forces are already over-extended and are unable to bring in replacement troops,
let alone reinforcements. Bringing the Mahdi Army
back into the conflict is guaranteed to make matters even worse for the
occupation forces.