This piece in the Washington Post is encouraging assuming more Iraqi units act as well in the field. This unit held together, engaged Sadr's Shiite militia and apparently routed them. But what the Post doesn't report and would be interesting to know is whether the unit is comprised mostly of Shiites. I suspect it is.
BAGHDAD, July 7 -- Iraqi soldiers clashed Friday morning with Shiite militiamen in the eastern Baghdad slum of Sadr City, killing or capturing 30 to 40 fighters in one engagement, according to a statement from the U.S. military. While the statement did not name the militia involved, that area of Baghdad is controlled by the Mahdi Army -- a force loyal to firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. One of those taken prisoner was a "high-level" leader of "multiple insurgent cells" responsible for kidnappings and killings, including the deaths of two Iraqi soldiers, the statement said.