Forward together?

Maliki's security plans seem conspicuously incompetent on the ground in Iraq, writes Nermeen Al-Mufti

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US forces may soon withdraw from Al-Anbar governorate where the towns of Ramadi, Fallujah, and Al-Qaem have proven rather turbulent. A journalist from Fallujah who was recently held by the Americans said that a US commander told him that US forces have decided that their presence is no longer needed as it only provides local militia with motives to attack the Iraqi police, army, and National Guard forces.

US newspapers recently published a report citing the US Navy as saying that US troops in Al-Anbar were spread too thin. Over half the US forces killed last week in Iraq died in Al-Anbar.

In other developments, the Green Zone-based parliament is getting ready to discuss the federalism plan of Shia leader Abdel-Aziz Al-Hakim, who is urging the creation of a Shia province in the centre and south of the country.

A senior Baathist official who attended a conference of clans, parties and militia held recently in Amman says that participants in the conference gave their demands to US authorities in Iraq. The demands include the formation of a "national salvation government" and the disarming of all militia. The Baathist official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the Americans promised to form such a "salvation government" sometime after mid- October.

He added that the security situation in Iraq, which is impeding national reconciliation, wasn't likely to improve so long as death squads and militias were still active in Baghdad and the rest of the country.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki put together a security plan two months ago, which he called "Together Forward". The security plan involves a search of Baghdad homes for guns and gunmen.

According to a security source, the explosives department of the Interior Ministry plans to buy sophisticated equipment to detect car bombs and explosive belts. The equipment, expected to arrive soon, will be used in the third phase of the "Together Forward" plan.

Calling the second phase of the plan a "success", the source added that the areas of Al-Amiria, Al-Ghazalia (west Baghdad) and Al-Azamia (north Baghdad) and Al-Dawra (south Baghdad), normally considered hot zones, had been pacified.

The discovery of 162 bodies in various parts of Baghdad of people who had been tortured and then shot was not reassuring, however. Various death squads are still on the loose, hunting down both Sunnis and Shias in a bid to spark off a sectarian war.

Adnan Al-Duleimi called on the government to track down and punish the death squads and disarm all militia. Deputy Prime Minister Borham Saleh said that a new plan would be introduced to disarm the militia.

Mouayyad Al-Janabi, an expert in domestic conflict, opined: "Ordinary Iraqis are capable of identifying the gunmen, the death squads and their leaders. So it is strange that the government is still blaming unidentified perpetrators." He added, "The demand made by some clans to release Saddam Hussein as a condition for their participation in national reconciliation is unacceptable at the moment."

Iraqi and US sources say that as many as 250,000 gunmen may be spread across 11 different outfits affiliated with political parties. Deputy Prime Minister Saleh recently admitted Iraq's security arrangements were seriously flawed. "Bodyguards and security outfits have turned into armed gangs that are loyal to one political side or another, even to cabinet ministers."

Iraqi and US officials also revealed this past week that they are planning to dig a moat around Baghdad to prevent gunmen and car bombs from getting in. The moat would be 70 kilometres long with 27 checkpoints for vehicles heading into the capital.

Former army general Ahmad Ali reacted to the plan saying, "US forces have sophisticated explosive detecting equipment. Why don't they give it to Iraq? The digging of the moat would isolate Baghdad but keep thousands of gunmen inside ... Any group challenging the state should be confronted with firmness ... Weapons have to be held exclusively by the state. No armed group should be allowed to operate outside the realm of law."

The recent visit by Prime Minister Al-Maliki to Iran is still drawing extensive commentary. Amin Al-Kateb, an expert in Iranian affairs, said: "Al-Maliki acted boldly and gave clear signals that Iran must stop interfering in Iraq's domestic affairs. The Iranian president reciprocated by saying that Iran was interested in Iraqi stability, which we want to hear."

Reacting to the news that Iran would be buying Iraqi oil and exporting back refined oil products to the country, Al-Kateb said that such a step would be unhelpful to Iraq.