Lena Bell
So there’s a lot going on in this article but I’m going to wrangle it the best I can. Residents of Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad are relying less and less on the Mahdi Army and now see it as a “band of street thugs without ideology.” Shiites describe the members of the Mahdi Army as being blood thirsty, and going around killing other Shiites just to have something to do. Because the Army was originally meant to protect the Shiites, it is broken up into sections for different neighborhoods. Residents of these neighborhoods are resentful because their local Army members are the ones who have killed their friends and family members.
In their resentment, Shiite Sheiks have begun to tip off the American military in Baghdad. Residents of these Shiite neighborhoods are enraged and despise the Mahdi Army and don’t think it has any positive purpose; still they do not say so publicly. Instead, Shiites have been calling tip hotlines and talking to Americans in an attempt to gain protection from a new source.
I think the growing trust of Shiites in Baghdad in American support is a step in the right direction. Residents in these neighborhoods are realizing that the Mahdi Army is full of criminals, young men who have little to no respect for family or religion, and is not there to protect them any longer. As much as the Shiites need support from the Americans, the Americans want to help. This is a way for the American Army to get involved in a way that cannot be viewed as intrusive because it is being asked for help. Not only is a better relationship between the Americans and the Shiites coming out of this, but also Shiites in neighborhoods with the Mahdi Army present are gaining much needed protection.
