Article: Rebuilt and at peace - Sadr City offers a glimpse of the new Iraq

SIX MONTHS ago, the only digging being done on the streets of Baghdad's Sadr City was by insurgents, burying bombs to be detonated when American army vehicles passed by.

Now, with much the same fervour with which they once turned it into a battleground, the Shia slum's vast army of streetfighters is laying trenches for water mains and electricity lines.

In what appears to be a striking success story ahead of today's elections, a huge United States-led reconstruction programme has brought a fragile peace to an area that was once the potential flashpoint for a nationwide uprising of Iraq's Shia underclass.

Markets, schools and public buildings shattered in violent clashes last summer are being ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!