Iraq's government has moved to restore discipline within the security forces by sacking more than 1,300 soldiers and policemen who deserted during recent fighting against Shi'ite militias in Basra.
At the same time, Iraq's Cabinet increased the pressure on anti-American Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr by approving draft legislation barring political parties with militias from participating in the forthcoming local elections.
Al-Sadr, who head
s the country's biggest militia, the Mahdi Army, has been under intense pressure from Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, also a Shi'ite, to disband the Mahdi Army or face political isolation.
Al-Sadr's followers are eager to take part in the local elections because they believe they can take power away from rival Shi'ite parties in the vast, oil-rich Shi'ite heartland of southern Iraq.
In a new move to stem the flow of money to armed groups, the government ordered a crackdown on militiamen controlling petrol stations, refineries and oil distribution centres.
It is believed that petrol stations and distribution centres, especially in eastern Baghdad and some southern provinces, are covertly controlled by the Mahdi Army.
The failure of government forces to capture Basra despite superiority in numbers and firepower was an embarrassment to Mr Maliki, who ordered the offensive and personally supervised it during the first week.
It also raised questions whether Iraq's mostly Shi'ite army and police can confront Shi'ite militias, including Iranian-backed "special groups," which the United States command now considers the greatest threat to Iraqi democracy.
National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said Iran is active in southern Iraq.
"So we have illegal militia in the southern part of the country that really are acting as criminal elements that are pressing the people down there and, in good measure, as we've seen, alienating the Iraqis from Iran," Mr Hadley said yesterday.
The Basra offensive – which opened on March 25 – quickly stalled amid strong resistance from the outnumbered militiamen, despite artillery and air support by US and British forces.
During the attack more than 1,000 security troops refused to fight or joined the militias, handing them weapons and vehicles.
Speaking to reporters in Basra yesterday, Interior Ministry spokesman General Abdul-Karim Khalaf said the government had sacked 421 policemen who have not returned to duty since fighting ended.
In Kut, a city 100 miles southeast of Baghdad that was also affected by fighting, a further 400 policemen were dismissed.
Clashes in Basra largely petered out after al-Sadr told his militiamen to stand down.
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