US Builds Giant Wall in Sadr City

American forces have begun construction of an enormous concrete wall that will partition Sadr City, one of Baghdad's most dangerous neighborhood. The structure is intended to make the southern section of Sadr City, a Shiite stronghold that borders the Green Zone, into a protected enclave, reports the New York Times. Walls in other parts of Baghdad have succeeded in blunting insurgent attacks, despite residents' fears of isolation.

The wall is being constructed amid considerable security, with Apache helicopters hovering over the site and M-1 tanks standing by. Sadr City has become a haven for Iranian-backed insurgents as well as supporters of the cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Said one American commander, "You can’t really repair anything that is broken until you establish security." (More Baghdad stories.)