▁that ▁a ▁static ▁base ▁did ▁not ▁fit ▁with ▁the ▁new ▁operation . ▁" A bu ▁Naj i ▁was ▁a ▁b ull s - ey e ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁a ▁d art board . ▁The ▁attacks ▁were ▁a ▁n uis ance ▁and ▁were ▁a ▁contrib uting ▁factor ▁in ▁our ▁planning ", ▁to ▁quit ▁the ▁base , ▁he ▁said , ▁adding ▁" By ▁no ▁longer ▁present ing ▁a ▁static ▁target , ▁we ▁reduce ▁the ▁ability ▁of ▁the ▁milit ias ▁to ▁strike ▁us   ... ▁We ▁understand ▁the ▁milit ias ▁in ▁M ays an ▁province ▁are ▁using ▁this ▁as ▁an ▁example ▁that ▁we ▁have ▁been ▁pushed ▁out ▁of ▁Ab u ▁Naj i , ▁but ▁that ▁is ▁not ▁true . ▁It ▁was ▁very ▁rare ▁for ▁us ▁to ▁take ▁cas ual ties ." ▁Bur bridge ▁stated ▁that ▁Ira qi ▁security ▁forces ▁would ▁now ▁be ▁responsible ▁for ▁day - to - day ▁security ▁in ▁M ays an ▁but ▁str essed ▁that ▁the ▁British ▁had ▁not ▁yet ▁handed ▁over ▁complete ▁control ▁to ▁them . ▁ ▁Mu qt ada ▁al - S adr ▁called ▁the ▁departure ▁the ▁first ▁exp ulsion ▁of ▁U . S .- led ▁coal ition ▁forces ▁from ▁an ▁Ira qi ▁urban ▁center . ▁A ▁message ▁from ▁al - S adr ' s ▁office ▁that ▁played ▁on ▁car - mount ed ▁speak ers ▁throughout ▁Am ar ah ▁exclaimed ▁" This ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁Ira qi ▁city ▁that ▁has ▁k icked ▁out ▁the ▁occup ier   ... ▁We ▁have ▁to ▁celebr ate ▁this ▁occasion !" ▁A ▁crowd ▁of ▁as