In the end they went without a fight.
Marginalized in Kut by the U.S. Marines, who worked with other officials to coordinate joint Iraqi-U.S. foot patrols, restore electricity and water supplies, Abbas suddenly left the mayor's office -- and the city -- after U.S. troops threatened to arrest him.
"The Americans talk about changing things for the better," he told Reuters just hours before quitting the building. "But they will not make anything better because they do not know how to work with the Iraqi people."
"I do not have tanks and the Americans are persuading everybody to avoid working with me. I guess, sooner or later I'll leave. What else can I do?"
Abbas, a retired schoolteacher and religious leader said he was not a member of any political organisation.
His quiet departure and disappearance from the city was a relief to the Marines, who had avoided entering the compound for fear of sparking violence in a city that has seen stone-throwing at anti-American protests and sniper fire at U.S. bases.
