Video:
on the ground in Basra
Inside
Iraq: Iraqi forces see victory in Basra
Young women are daring to wear jeans, soldiers listen to pop music on their
mobile phones and bands are performing at wedding parties again.
All across Iraq’s second city life is improving, a month after Iraqi troops
began a surprise crackdown on the black-clad gangs who were allowed to
flourish under the British military. The gunmen’s reign had enforced a
strict set of religious codes.
Yet after three years of being terrified of kidnap, rape and murder – a fate
that befell scores of other women – Nadyia Ahmed, 22, is among those
enjoying a sense of normality, happy for the first time to attend her
science course at Basra University. “I now have the university life that I
heard of at high school before the war and always dreamt about,” she told The
Times. “It was a nightmare because of these militiamen. I only attended
class three days a week but now I look forward to going every day.”
She also no longer has to wear a headscarf. Under the strict Islamic rules
imposed by the militias, women had to cover their hair, could not wear jeans
or bright clothes and were strictly forbidden from sitting next to male
colleagues on pain of death.
“All these men in black [who imposed the laws] just vanished from the
university after this operation,” said Ms Ahmed. “Things have completely
changed over the past week.”
In a sign of the good mood, celebratory gunfire erupted around Basra two
nights ago and text messages were pinged from one mobile phone to another
after an alleged senior militia leader was arrested.
Raids are continuing in a few remaining strongholds but the Iraqi commander in
charge of the unprecedented operation is confident that his forces will soon
achieve something that the British military could not – a city free from
rogue gunmen.
British and US officials acknowledge tentatively that a turning point has been
reached. Sir Richard Dannatt, the head of the British Army, made an
unannounced visit to Basra over the weekend.
Local people are daring to hope that the dark days of death squads and kidnap
are over, displaying the sort of optimism that was last seen when British
forces arrived in 2003 with the false promise of a better life free from
Saddam Hussein.
Driving through Basra in a convoy with the Iraqi general leading the Charge of
the Knights operation, The Times passed Iraqi security forces manning
checkpoints and patrolling the roads. Not a hostile shot was fired as the
convoy turned into what was until the weekend the most notorious
neighbourhood in the city. Hayaniya, a teeming slum, was a bastion for
al-Mahdi Army, the main militia.
For the first time in four years local residents have been emboldened to stand
up to the militants and are turning in caches of weapons. Army checkpoints
have been erected across Basra and traffic police are also out in force.
The security forces have also torn down many banners supporting al-Mahdi Army
as well as portraits of its leader, Moqtada al-Sadr, though some still
remain in militia strongholds.
The contrast could not be more stark with the last time The Times
visited Basra in December, when intimidation was rife.
Many blame the British for allowing the militias to grow. “If they sent
competent Iraqi troops to Basra in the early stages it would have limited
the damage that happened in our city,” said Hameed Hashim, 39, who works for
the South Oil Company.
Lieutenant-General Mohan al-Furaiji, Basra’s outgoing commander, said that his
goal was “to turn Basra into a safe city without any armed groups” within
two months. Local authorities would then have to improve the standard of
living for the people of Basra, a city of 2.5 million, where raw sewage runs
down the streets and the unemployment rate is as high as 80 per cent,
despite countless projects funded by the British Government.
“The army has achieved security . . . but people can’t just live with peace.
This is a miserable city by all measures,” said General Furaiji, speaking at
the Basra Operations Centre on the bank of the Shatt al-Arab waterway.
“We have given nothing to the people. Peace is vital but people can’t eat or
drink peace,” he toldThe Times. Despite being an Iraqi-led
operation, British and American soldiers are also embedded at the Shatt
al-Arab Hotel, providing advice and expertise. Hundreds of British and
American troops are on the ground alongside the Iraqis and coalition
aircraft fly overhead.
Keen to demonstrate the new-found security, General Furaiji stopped his Humvee
on the main street of largely boarded-up stores in Hayaniyah and ducked into
a dilapidated coffee shop for a glass of Iraqi tea and a bread roll.
A cluster of young men ventured forward to speak to him, voicing concern about
finding work rather than security fears. Ahmed Nassir Kassim, 23, said:
“Before there were killings. Now it’s better. I would like the Government to
look after the people and provide us with jobs.”
The neighbouring district of al-Qibla was similarly calm. Hussein Fadhil, a
professional musician, runs a shop in the centre of the city that rents out
musical instruments and has seven bands that he hires for weddings.
Musicians suffered greatly. Many were forced by the militia to abandon their
trade or beaten up if they tried to perform. Weddings were affected, with
couples being told not to play music. “Just two weeks ago if you passed a
wedding party you would not be able to tell whether it was a wake or a
wedding,” Mr Fadhil, 44, said. The tide has turned, however. Eleven band
members who quit because of intimidation want their old jobs back and are
receiving bookings for at least one party a day.
In a new sweep that began yesterday, seven Iraqi battalions entered a market
area – one of three remaining militia bastions – where they found four large
hauls of munitions.
In the past month Iraqi troops have killed dozens of fighters, made 400
arrests and lost 12 soldiers. At the same time, it is thought that about 60
militia leaders have escaped across the border into Iran or are lying low
outside Basra, working out their next move.
The British military expressed cautious optimism at the progress. Major Tom
Holloway, a spokesman, said: “The Iraqi security forces have made a real
difference; this is going to be a long operation by its nature. However,
rule of law is returning to the streets.”
Additional reporting by Ali Hamdani
Chlodovech..Defeated in Afghanistan and Iraq what utter rot.... Oh sorry, thought you said Vietnam and Somalia. Though I gather there was a massive victory in Grenada. To all the other Americans who have supported the UK a big thankyou to our Allies .
kirk, Rotherham, UK
I am getting fed up with the vast majority of brits who continue to bragg yp their mediocre military and insult the US Superior Military. Apparently brits cannot grasp reality. Which is why they have been defeated in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Chlodovech, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Congratulation Debbie for being the first western journalist who has visited Basra after this operation. You have entered the history of Basra .It's your city!
L, Amman, Jordan
I'm getting fed up of a small minority of Americans who have a pop at the British military. The British Forces are the finest in the world, but all this hs now turned political. The UK has been fighting terrorism for decades. While you Yanks were supporting NORAID, we were fighting it
kirk, Rotherham, UK
We're making good progress in Iraq thanks to the US military.
Let,s hope that the democracts lose in November (and they will) so we can finish the job and go home. The US Army is a liberator and NOT an occupier of Iraq. God bless America.
G. Paleos
NY, USA
George K. Paleos, New York, USA
Iraq was a broken mess before the coalition arrived, has been broken and could remain broken, but now that Iraqis are standing up there's a real chance the tribes will come together and become a country.
Doing the noble thing is seldom easy and it's never without cost. Good for the brave Iraqis!!
Cole Younger, Sarcoxie, MO, USA
the complete disaster ...for the first few years ...
adrian//
==
Ekshully, adrian, there was no way to have squared that circle. It was damned if you do, damned if you don't. As many Iraqis now admit, they had to experience real sectarian rule to appreciate the alternatives.
Brian H, Vancouver, BC Canada
Aref Ugee
It was, but if you said ANYTHING against the government you ended up tortured and dead. And if you were a people then he'd use WMD's on you.
So yes, you could wear jeans, but no, you weren't free.
Phill, The Wirral, England
Wasn't it like that before the "west" invaded ?
Aref Ugee, athens,
Did Tom in LA notice the complete disaster which his countries bad planning and tactics brought upon Iraq for the first few years of occupation?
adrian, London,
C'mon, Mike from Boston. Just admit it. You don't hate to say what you wrote.
From reports on the ground (see Michael Yon) the efforts of the troops are indeed working. Yeah, there were mistakes made in the past. But our strategies have adapted and progress is being made.
Richard, Brookfield, IL, USA
Good point Daniel, I would also like to remind Hameed Hashim, the oil company worker, that without British Army training there would not have been any competent Iraqi troops to send in. That aside, I am very pleased to hear this news.
Phil, Southend,
Bush/Blair haters never value freedom.
Jon Moyden, Polaski, US
Anne, sadly the quality of the Iraqi Army as left to us by Saddam was, how do you say, a bit dodgy. It has taken us (and you of course, I mean all of us in the coalition doing our bit) this long to stand up a decent IA precisely because of Iraq's issues. Before, they just couldn't have done this!
nichevo, Brooklyn, USA
Until Iraq's oil flows freely to western nations, there is no such thing as "freedom" in Iraq. Here is a link to the *real* Iraq
http://realityiraq.blogspot.com/
jayil, london, uk
remember you brits werent even informed of this operation, so stop gloating and get on with your retreat.
william smith, venice, usa
Well said, the US Army are the major contributors to this turnaround in fortune for the Iraqi population.
Steve P, Chester, UK
Watch the succesess of this be lost when the Iraqi government cant deliver vital services as efficiently as the mehdi militia does. The true victors in this war is Iran, they took out their no.1 enemy, created a shiite swath stretching from iran, southern iraq, syria and lebanon,and now control Iraq
Justin B., woodstock, GA
People have short memory...without Al-Sadr order to his men go ou out of streets, never Iraqi will succeed take Basra, its a fact...Its after Sadr cease fire order that Iraqi army advanced in Basra.
Omar, Paris, France
I don't know if the British army planned this but i wouldn't be supprised.
While the British remained in control they could be seen as being occupiers of Basra and so not given full support by the population who could see the argument.
But once they left the iraqi's could see the real enemy....
Daniel, Bristol, UK
About time, long may it continue.
CA, Manchester, UK
whats next? an amusement park in baghdad? yup!
kurds are more pro american than americans.
sunnis want americans to protect them from shias.
shia govt and badr brigade wants americans to stay.
no matter how the msm spins it, iraq someday will be a success and history will shine on bush and blair
Scott L., Punta Gorda, Fl, USA
I don't know if it was planned or unintentional but the fact that the bad guys controlled areas like Fallujah and Basra for 3 years, etc etc is working in our favor. It did't take long for the local residents to fear and hate the various militieas, insurgents and foreign al Queda cells.
John, Northampton, USA
"No, because Iraq was not a Muslim state when it was invaded. Muslim extremism started becoming a problem there AFTER the invasion."
Am I the ONLY person in the world who remembers attacks in Iraq by Ansar al Islam well before the invasion? They were one of our primary inital targets...
Dan, Minneapolis, USA/MN
From everything I've read, the British soldiers are true warriors. The Iraqis owe them a great debt if this victory holds.
The British people, on the other hand, seem to have lost the stiff upper lip that defeated Hitler. At least Blair stuck with it. And thank goodness Bush stuck with it too.
Steve D., Dallas, USA
After reading this article of "hope", I quickly phoned to book a flight for my first holiday in Iraq. The agents said it was too dangerious a place to travel. Listed as *number one* in the world for the most dangerious place to travel.
Well, whats going on here?
jayil, london, uk
Something that 99% of people don't realize ... and that our thoroughly biased press doesn't report ... is that it takes TIME to construct an army from scratch. That's exactly what we had to do, and now we're finally starting to see the IA coming into its own.
Dan R., San Diego, CA, USA
American Defense/Security policy has underitten the European social contract for decades. This is a huge direct subsidy and continues to damage US-UK/European relations.
Iraq & Palestine are legacies of British Colonialism. Stop blaming the Americans for the mess Britain created in the Middle East.
Mark, New York, US
It's nice to be winning!
It's even better when we are winning and the Press reports that we are winning.
Sam, Peoria, Illinois, USA
Anne...the Iraqi Army did not exist after Saddam's regime fell, those who say otherwise are simply playing partisan politics.
G. Roy, Napa, USA
Ah that vaunted pre-Invasion Iraqi army. Problem was it was controlled by Sunni's and set up on the Soviet model. It was notoriously corrupt and ineffective.The UK and the US have spent years training and re-training it into the Western model, trying to get the idea across that you promote on merit
Douglas R. Chanlder, Mesquite, TX, USA
The Americans were given the opportunity by Iraqi commanders to call on the disbanded Iraqi Army but, back in the US, those in charge foolishly declined the offer. This led to thousands of unemployed soldiers, with guns and nothing to do but fight back.
Don't blame the British!
Anne Robinson, London,
I hate to say this but... Is Bush's/Blair's hairbrain, militant scheme working?? Is there going to be a new democratic, actually free country in the middle-east?? Will there be free press? How will this effect Iran's governing policy? Does anyone know the immigration policies of Iran, Iraq Syria?
Mike, boston, USA
Paul Edinburgh; don't assume that radical Islamic views are the norm in the Middle East.
Music, celebrations and stylish dressing is also very much part of Enlightened Muslim culture. These values are not the preserve of western culture. Arabs are goodhumoured, funloving people in general.
R.Hoare, Vienna, Austria
"Iraqis reporting to Occupation troops impose Western values on Iraqi City"might be a better headline."
No, because Iraq was not a Muslim state when it was invaded. Muslim extremism started becoming a problem there AFTER the invasion. Saddam wasn't a practicing muslim and had Christian ministers.
M.R., Stockport,
Tom W...its all political mate...Gordon Browns looking to win another election. He cant do it while the war is very unpopular.
kirk, Rotherham, UK
remember you brits werent even informed of this operation, so stop gloating and get on with your retreat.
william smith, venice, usa
Now everything is hunk-dory in Basra, may we have our troops back please? Evidently the British army's presence was counter-productive anyway. So let's leave it to the Americans and Iraqis to do what we seem to have been incapable of: bringing peace to southern Iraq.
Adrian Gilbert, Tonbridge,
GE, Tenby
Its a minor point in the great scheme but the operational name would have been chosen by the Iraqis. It's their operation after all. If it had been a British operation it would have been a single word, probably obscure, with no particular relevance to the situation or environment.
Tom Hanna, Northallerton,
I agree with Ian, It's all political. The Iraqi army brought order to a lawless "shia" town without a whimper from Iran. If the "crusader armies" had attacked, then Iran would have had a massive influx of jihadist pour over the border to protect Islam. Freedom = a flower print scarf it's that simple
Ed, Atlanta, US
Mohammed of London,
I'm glad you have a clear view of Iraq's future. Most others seem so negative. You forgot to mention Starbucks, though.........
S Siva, London,
All they now need is Disney Land and Mc Donalds.
Mohammed, London, UK
What on earth are they thinking? Operation charge of the Knights!!! Talk about how to offend Muslims. They don't seem to have understood the basics here. The crusades spring to mind. I've not heard anything so insensitive since they gave a knighthood to Rushdie.
GE, Tenby,
This report gives the lie to those stories about Muslim women donning the veil, the burqa or the niqab out of their own free will. The moment the threat of violence (aka "community pressure") disappears women throw them off.
Ed Zuiderwijk, Cambridge, UK
tom w from america- who trained these iraqi soldiers ? british soldiers, who are the best trained in the entire world, politics ruled when british forces were on the streets in basra, never forget that. if they were allowed to get on with the job, basra would have been alot safer ,alot sooner.
ian, london, england
"seven Iraqi battalions entered a market area"? How many troops are there in an Iraqi battalion anyway? A battalion is a military unit of around 500-1000 men. So at least 3,500 soldiers entered the market area! It must have been crowded.
phatbaldvoyager, Paris, France,
Funny - I remember all the press reports of a couple of weeks ago saying that this military surge by the Iraqi forces had been a disaster ...
Delighted to read this story - more good news from Iraq please, not just negative political point scoring.
Claire, Herts, UK
These aren't men in black, they're maggots in black and you find then all over the world attacking the weak. They thrive on decay, fear and death. Just like football hooligans use football as an excuse for violence; these people use religion and fear to gain power.
Mark Sheppard, Retford, UK
What a bizarre piece of reporting! "Iraqis reporting to Occupation troops impose Western values on Iraqi City"might be a better headline. Does the reporter not understand the clash of cultural values?-this is truly reporting at its most simplistic
Paul, Edinburgh,
Er, wasn't this the idea of handing over Basra? To get the Iraqi's to provide their own security. Ok, it wasn't seamless but surely if British troops had remained full time, they never would have done it.
Besides, who did the training?
Mark D, Shanghai, China
Just clean the city from Fundamentalists, if the Western forces had finished Sadr in 2004 we will now not have this problem now But the reactonary forces in the UK and the States have a long history of supporting Islamic fanatics for the sake of fighting communism.bookmark wsws.org,globalresearch.ca
Mohammed, London,
I'm a huge fan of Britain, but why did the British army let the militias terrorize Basra for so long?
The Iraqi army in its present form has existed for about three years, yet it was able to do in a month what the superbly trained and equipped British military could not or would not do in years.
Tom W., Los Angeles, California, USA
And Dave
God bless the Iraqis for being the ones to end it where we failed.
Nigel, Newcastle, UK
Well done to the Iraqi forces!
See what can be achiceved when soldiers dont have to live in fear of there own countries human rights lawyers!
Dean, Southampton, England
This will be a false dawn unless the Iraqi government can stem the corruption, secterianism, and tribal cliques that run the city. The Birtish were afaid of loosing men, while the Iraqi's main concern is loosing hearts and minds.
Rachel, York,
All I'll say is this, remember who trained those Iraqi troops.
Tim Hamilton, Canterbury,
God bless freedom from forced IslamoFascist idealogy!!
Dave B
Dave Blankenship, St. Louis, USA