Iraq takes control of Najaf security from U.S.
"U.S. forces ceded control of southern Najaf province to Iraqi police and soldiers, who marked the occasion Wednesday with a parade and martial arts demonstrations.
. . . Home to 930,000 people, Najaf saw heavy fighting two years ago, but has been relatively peaceful lately. It was the third of Iraq's 18 provinces to come under local control. British troops handed over southern Muthana province in July, and the Italian military transferred neighboring Dhi Qar in September.
. . . Critics charge that handing over control here was easy because Najaf is overwhelming Shiite and has not faced the same level of sectarian violence as religiously mixed areas like Baghdad.
. . . Najaf is home to the iconic Imam Ali shrine, where Shiites believe the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad is buried. Millions make pilgrimages to the city annually, and Shiites from across Iraq come to bury their dead in the huge cemetery.
The city of Najaf endured heavy fighting in 2004 between the U.S. Army and militiamen loyal to radical anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, and parts of Najaf lie in ruins." [1]
"With the transfer, the Iraqi government gained control over its Eighth Army Division, which has about 10,000 soldiers. Shiite leaders, who control both this province and the national government, have been anxious to get more operational control over the army, which the United States has been laboring to train.
But security in the sacred city of Najaf was already largely under Iraqi control, as American forces mostly withdrew from the area after putting down an uprising in 2004 by the Sadr militia, known as the Mahdi Army.
. . . Outside the stadium, foreign military officials said the $137 million spent on reconstruction in the province was beginning to have an impact. They expect that as tourism continues to thrive, driven by the one million pilgrims who visit every year, the economic situation will improve." [2]
The new Iraqi security forces were said to have eaten live rabbits and bitten the heads off of frogs at the handover ceremony. I found two pictures of them eating rabbits from Reuters and the Associated Press, both via Yahoo! News. I haven't found any pictures of them biting the heads off of frogs yet. I'll keep looking though.
sources
[1] The Associated Press. U.S. Troops Turn Over Najaf to Iraqis. December 20, 2006.
[2] The New York Times. With a Ceremony From the Past, Iraqis Take Charge in Najaf. December 21, 2006.
resource
Provinces of Iraq. Wikipedia.
song
A history of Iraq
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posted: thursday, december 21, 2006, 1:36 PM ET
update: sunday, december 24, 2006, 12:30 AM ET
iraq najaf security rabbit
. . . Home to 930,000 people, Najaf saw heavy fighting two years ago, but has been relatively peaceful lately. It was the third of Iraq's 18 provinces to come under local control. British troops handed over southern Muthana province in July, and the Italian military transferred neighboring Dhi Qar in September.
. . . Critics charge that handing over control here was easy because Najaf is overwhelming Shiite and has not faced the same level of sectarian violence as religiously mixed areas like Baghdad.
. . . Najaf is home to the iconic Imam Ali shrine, where Shiites believe the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad is buried. Millions make pilgrimages to the city annually, and Shiites from across Iraq come to bury their dead in the huge cemetery.
The city of Najaf endured heavy fighting in 2004 between the U.S. Army and militiamen loyal to radical anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, and parts of Najaf lie in ruins." [1]
"With the transfer, the Iraqi government gained control over its Eighth Army Division, which has about 10,000 soldiers. Shiite leaders, who control both this province and the national government, have been anxious to get more operational control over the army, which the United States has been laboring to train.
But security in the sacred city of Najaf was already largely under Iraqi control, as American forces mostly withdrew from the area after putting down an uprising in 2004 by the Sadr militia, known as the Mahdi Army.
. . . Outside the stadium, foreign military officials said the $137 million spent on reconstruction in the province was beginning to have an impact. They expect that as tourism continues to thrive, driven by the one million pilgrims who visit every year, the economic situation will improve." [2]
The new Iraqi security forces were said to have eaten live rabbits and bitten the heads off of frogs at the handover ceremony. I found two pictures of them eating rabbits from Reuters and the Associated Press, both via Yahoo! News. I haven't found any pictures of them biting the heads off of frogs yet. I'll keep looking though.
sources
[1] The Associated Press. U.S. Troops Turn Over Najaf to Iraqis. December 20, 2006.
[2] The New York Times. With a Ceremony From the Past, Iraqis Take Charge in Najaf. December 21, 2006.
resource
Provinces of Iraq. Wikipedia.
song
A history of Iraq
share
del.icio.us
digg
posted: thursday, december 21, 2006, 1:36 PM ET
update: sunday, december 24, 2006, 12:30 AM ET
iraq najaf security rabbit
posted by eric at 1:08 PM
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