Shiite fighters arrested in crackdown

Due to heavy pressure from the Bush administration officials in Iraq are supposed to have proof of showing progress in the securing of Iraq. On the 17th Iraqi officials made a move against the areas most powerful malitia, the Mahdi army. Officials say that they have arrested several dozen senior members of this group in the past few weeks. Mr. Maliki, the prime minister, told journalists that close to 400 Mahdi malitia men have been arrested in the past few days. Later it wa found that more than 400 malitia men were arrested in over 56 operations since the month of October. The total number of senior comanders for this group did not go over 100. American officials say that there main problem is the malitia and they predict that there are among 7,000 Mahdi malitia men are left in Baghdad. By Sabrina Tavernise