American military leaders say that Iraq and its capital, where much of the sectarian violence has taken place, are significantly safer than during the height of Shiite-Sunni warfare last year -- although even at its reduced level, the violence takes a toll of nearly 200 deaths a week.
"What happened this time is we stayed . . . so now the people said, 'Hey you're staying,' and once they see we're staying with Iraqis and the Iraqis [army and police] are staying with us and getting much better and treating the people with dignity and respect, they start coming forward with tips," said Brig. Gen. John Campbell, U.S. deputy Army commander for Baghdad.
At the same time, with an Iraqi government that remains riven by sectarian strife, the future remains unclear, American authorities acknowledge.
Ambassador Ryan Crocker suggested last week that Iraqi national leaders might consider following the example of local leaders. He acknowledged that Iraqis have not turned the corner on the sectarian war that erupted full-tilt in February 2006 when Sunni militants blew up a Shiite shrine in Samarra.
"People just aren't confident yet that that's definitively, conclusively over. And I think it's going to be awhile before they do," Crocker told reporters. "If I were one of them, I'd certainly feel that way."
American strategies include pushing the Iraqi government to improve basic services and create jobs.
Despite professed optimism, Campbell admits that he has fought to rein in a sectarian agenda during the American troop buildup. Early on, Campbell struggled to stop Shiite government officials from giving direct orders to arrest Sunni targets.
Until six or seven months ago, Campbell was being handed target lists by Iraqi security officials that contained only Sunnis. In reaction, he stormed out of a few meetings.
"I'm sick and tired of having just Sunni targets," he said. "The next week I had Sunni and Shia. Every week since then there has been sort of a balance of Sunni and Shia."
Campbell said that since Americans put Iraqis' feet to the fire, Iraqi security commanders have started to police their own. Even so, an Iraqi national police unit, active in the mixed district of Sadiya on Baghdad's strategic southeastern rim, was recently removed after repeated allegations of attacks against Sadiya's Sunni population.
