Baghdad - Tens of thousands of followers of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr packed a central Baghdad square Friday, where they protested a U.S.-Iraq security agreement and likened Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to fallen dictator Saddam Hussein.

    Sheik Abdul Hadi al Mohammadawi read a nationalistic speech on behalf of Sadr, urging a rejection of any pacts with the U.S., charging that approving one would infringe on Iraqi sovereignty.

    The crowd chanted, "Leave, leave, occupier."

    It was a mostly peaceful rally protected by the Iraqi military and Sadr's followers, who frisked people as they entered Firdos Square. Many carried Iraqi flags, portraits of Sadr or colorful prayer mats.

    An effigy of President George W. Bush hung from the pedestal where a famous statue of Saddam once stood. After Mohammadawi's speech, a crowd gathered around the effigy, hurling garbage at it, then pulling it down and burning it.

    Mohammadawi directed part of his speech at Iraqi members of parliament who are considering the security agreement. He said that the U.S. should leave unconditionally and hand over the country to Iraq's military.

    "Our safety cannot be solved by the occupation," he said. "Iraqis are able to protect their country. They will take responsibility by themselves."

    The agreement has cleared Iraq's Cabinet but is awaiting a vote in parliament. It calls for the U.S. to leave Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011, and it gives Iraq much more control of American military operations in the meantime.

    Sadr's political party has tried to derail the pact in parliament, shouting down readings of it over the past two days and pledging to fight it. It has support from an alliance of Shiite and Kurdish parties.

    Men who attended Friday's rally echoed Mohammadawi's view, saying that the exit of American forces would ease tensions among Iraqis rather than inflame them.

    "By God, the violence will not come back, because Iraqis are a united people," said Jasim Kadhim, 35.

    Many were skeptical about the motives of Maliki, who helped broker the agreement. They sang, "Maliki is the new Saddam," as they marched away from the rally.

    "The agreement on the status of forces doesn't help Iraq," said Halim Hafidh, 31. "They will not give us our full rights."

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    Ashton reports for The Modesto (California) Bee. McClatchy special correspondent Laith Hammoudi contributed to this report.