Word: strongholds
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...when Maliki and Sadr, for whom Sadr City has long been a political stronghold, struck a peace agreement in mid-May, the situation took a turn for the better. Under the deal, Iraqi forces were allowed to enter the district to pursue wanted criminals, so long as they abstained from "random" arrests, and the U.S. military stayed on the outskirts. In return, Sadr asked his Mahdi Army to lay down their weapons...
Still, these are small steps considering the vastness of a neighborhood so thoroughly devastated. Among the poorest and most marginalized sections of Baghdad, the Sadr stronghold has suffered neglect and disrepair since the days of Saddam Hussein. After the fighting in April and May, that damage is now exponentially higher. Indeed, rebuilding Sadr City will be a crucial test for Maliki if he is to succeed in consolidating his divided and war-ravaged country...
...Wednesday wire services reported clashes in Nasiriyah, a southern Iraqi city known for power struggles between the Mahdi Army and militias tied to Maliki's party. And in the Mahdi Army stronghold of Sadr City in east Baghdad, where U.S. and Iraqi forces have struggled to restore order over the past month, the bombing of a city council building Tuesday reinforced the impression of just how volatile the area still is. The blast left 10 people dead, three of whom were U.S. government employees...
...demonstrate the improving security situation on Jolo, Sabban takes visitors to his forward operating base in the former terrorist stronghold of Tugas, northwest of Jolo town. Accompanied by more than 50 soldiers in jeeps and armored vehicles, his convoy rumbles through small villages. Not long ago, the base's access road was a dirt track where Abu Sayyaf fighters came and went freely, using the dense rainforest as a retreat or as cover for ambushes; the main road through this part of the island was known as the Boulevard of Death. Now the road to the base is lined with...
...Earlier this year, Democrats picked up three long-held G.O.P. congressional seats in special elections in Mississippi, Louisiana and Illinois. The party is also mounting House challenges in 14 states that Bush won in 2004, including Wyoming, Alabama and Arizona. And Democratic candidates are contesting at least five G.O.P.-stronghold seats in the Senate: Alaska, Kentucky (Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell's seat), Nebraska, Kansas and New Mexico. "Senator Barack Obama's plan to compete in all 50 states is a reflection of the overwhelming desire for change that is transcending state boundaries and has energized voters in every corner...