Germany's Der Spiegel: British Leaving Basra to the Mahdi Militia

[sabra]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,468118,00.html

British Leaving Basra to the Mahdi Militia

Southern Iraq is relatively secure. But the British have not taken advantage of the four years of occupation to develop this bleak region. Now that they are pulling out, the Shiite Mahdi militia are standing by to take over.

...

But does the fact that the British are sending troops home mean "mission accomplished" in southern Iraq? Not really.

...

75 percent of the police are loyal to Sadr

To be sure, the British have neither improved security in the region nor rebuilt a functioning state apparatus independent of Iranian influence. Thus, while the British army officially handed over power to the 10th Division of the Iraqi Army this weekend, locals like Kassim the pharmacist and others are not sure they are up to the task.

The town's police is efficient, albeit dominated by members of the Mahdi, a Shiite militia loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr. According to journalist Ghalid Khazal, 75 percent of the city's police officers follow orders from Sadr headquarters. That number is roughly the same as that mentioned by General Major Hassan Sawadi, the former police chief of Basra, one and a half years ago, when he said. "I estimate that 80 percent of the force's members do not obey my orders."

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,807748,00.jpg
Iraqi children hold out a toy to British soldiers on patrol in Basra.

[Greeby]

1. Might sound callous, but I don't care who we leave our part of Iraq to

As long as we leave

[xchrom]

2. the punchline to a long sad joke.