Shiite politician wants bigger Iraqi role (end American "interference")

July 28, 2006, 1:56PM

Shiite politician wants bigger Iraqi role

By RAWYA RAGEH Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A prominent Shiite politician called Friday for Iraqi forces to play a greater security role and for an end to "interference in their work" _ an apparent reference to U.S. efforts to curb abuses by the Shiite-led Interior Ministry.

The remarks by Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, who heads the country's biggest Shiite party, came as the U.S. military drafted plans to move up to 5,000 U.S. troops with armored vehicles and tanks into Baghdad in an effort to quell escalating violence.

Al-Hakim told thousands of supporters at a rally in the southern city of Najaf that the Americans should turn over more security responsibility to the Iraqis and stop "the interference in their work."

He said the surging violence was due to "being lax in hunting down terrorists and upholding the wrong policies in dealing with them."

Sunni extremists and Saddam Hussein loyalists, al-Hakim said, are to blame for the violence. However, he also endorsed the government's pledge to disband militias, including those affiliated with Shiite politicians.

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