.Iraq PM Offers Olive Branch to Insurgents
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki offered an olive branch to insurgents who join in rebuilding Iraq and said Sunday that lawmakers should set a timeline for the Iraqi military and police to take control of security nationwide.
There was no mention of any timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in Iraq.
U.S. officials, however, said Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the top commander in Iraq, has drafted a plan for drawing down the American presence by two combat brigades by late summer or early autumn.
The New York Times said the officials, who were not identified, indicated the drawdown could involve the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division, which currently oversees a swath of west Baghdad, and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division, which oversees troublesome Diyala and Salahuddin provinces.
Casey reportedly met with President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Friday to outline his concept on force reductions.
According to the report, those brigades would not be replaced numerically. It was expected, however, that their duties would be assumed by U.S. forces from elsewhere in the country.
The Times report Sunday said the Casey plan envisioned cutting U.S. forces from 14 combat brigades now in the country to five or six by the end of next year.
Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, the top military spokesman in Baghdad, said any reduction in forces continued "to be conditions-based and will be determined in consultation with the Iraqi government. Based on ongoing assessments of the conditions on the ground, force levels could go up or down over time in order to meet the evolving requirements for the mission in Iraq.
"Force adjustment decisions are made by the Secretary of Defense at the recommendation of the Multi-National Force commander, Gen. Casey," Johnson told The Associated Press.
Al-Maliki's 24-point national reconciliation plan also would include an amnesty for insurgents and opposition figures who have not been involved in terrorist activities. Al-Maliki declared, however, that insurgent killers would not escape justice regardless of whether their victims were coalition forces or Iraqis.
"The launch of this national reconciliation initiative should not be read as a reward for the killers and criminals or acceptance of their actions. No, one thousand times no. There can be no agreement with them unless they face the justice," he said.
The new Iraqi leader, in power just more than a month, said he was realistic about the difficult road that lay ahead.
"We realize that there is a legion of those who have tread the path of evil (who) ... will continue with their criminal acts," he said.
But he held out an offer of peace to those who would renounce violence, while threatening retribution and punishment to those who would not.
"To those who want to rebuild our country, we present an olive branch ... And to those who insist on killing and terrorism, we present a fist with the power of law to protect our country and people," he told lawmakers, who applauded his speech.
U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad congratulated the government on the initiative and urged Iraqi leaders to move quickly.
"The leaders of Iraq's various communities should truly be leaders to their people, and begin to take responsibility for bringing sectarian violence to an end," he said. "I urge the insurgents to lay down their arms and join the democratic process initiated by their fellow Iraqis."
The plan also was endorsed by the senior Sunni political figure in parliament.
"In the name of Iraqi Accordance Front, I support and agree with this initiative and call upon all Iraqis to support it because it will be the first step toward security, stability and the building of a new Iraq," said Adnan al-Dulaimi, whose organization represents the three key Sunni political parties in parliament.
The Iraqi parliament was to debate the plan, which is believed to face considerable opposition among hard-liners on both sides of the Sunni-Shiite divide, in sessions this week.
In the south, the first of Japan's force of 600 soldiers being withdrawn from Iraq crossed the border into Kuwait.
The Japanese withdrawal of its soldiers, who are conducting a humanitarian and reconstruction mission, began with the departure of about 15 vehicles transporting trucks, bulldozers and equipment from the provincial capital of Samawah early Sunday morning. The journey south to Kuwait is 210 miles.
As the Japanese ended their mission in Iraq, al-Maliki's reconciliation plan said there should be a timeline established for Iraqi forces to take over all security duties in the country. It did not, however, include specifics on the withdrawal of American and British forces.
The plan also seeks compensation for former detainees "and those who were killed by Iraqi and American forces" and says their time spent in prison would be considered part of their mandatory military service.
Al-Maliki also said he wanted a general pardon for thousands of prisoners who are determined not to have committed "crimes and clear terrorist actions."
Hundreds of prisoners have been pardoned and release in recent months in what is seen as a bid by the Shiite-dominated government to appease Sunni Arab anger over allegations of random detentions and maltreatment.
The proposal also would set rules of engagement for military offensives. That was seen as a bid to alleviate Sunni anger over the alleged killing of innocent civilians and bystanders by U.S. and Iraqi forces.
The reconciliation plan also would call for a reconsideration of policies against supporters of former President Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party.
The plan said a dialogue should be opened with all organizations willing to participate in the political process "except al-Qaida" and hard-line supporters of Saddam.
Shortly after taking office May 20, al-Maliki vowed to take over security issues from American and other foreign troops in all of Iraq's 18 provinces within 18 months.
The Bush administration has repeatedly said U.S. troops will stay in Iraq until Iraqi security forces can defend the country against a lethal insurgency that rose up after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
Casey said earlier this week that he expected reductions in U.S. forces this year but did not agree with congressional efforts to put a timetable on the effort.
"I don't like it, I feel it would limit my flexibility" and give the enemy a schedule to focus on, he said.
MyWay
Looks like everyone, even the administrations puppets agree with the democrats. All we need now is for the American public to follow the lead.
There was no mention of any timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in Iraq.
U.S. officials, however, said Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the top commander in Iraq, has drafted a plan for drawing down the American presence by two combat brigades by late summer or early autumn.
The New York Times said the officials, who were not identified, indicated the drawdown could involve the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division, which currently oversees a swath of west Baghdad, and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division, which oversees troublesome Diyala and Salahuddin provinces.
Casey reportedly met with President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Friday to outline his concept on force reductions.
According to the report, those brigades would not be replaced numerically. It was expected, however, that their duties would be assumed by U.S. forces from elsewhere in the country.
The Times report Sunday said the Casey plan envisioned cutting U.S. forces from 14 combat brigades now in the country to five or six by the end of next year.
Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, the top military spokesman in Baghdad, said any reduction in forces continued "to be conditions-based and will be determined in consultation with the Iraqi government. Based on ongoing assessments of the conditions on the ground, force levels could go up or down over time in order to meet the evolving requirements for the mission in Iraq.
"Force adjustment decisions are made by the Secretary of Defense at the recommendation of the Multi-National Force commander, Gen. Casey," Johnson told The Associated Press.
Al-Maliki's 24-point national reconciliation plan also would include an amnesty for insurgents and opposition figures who have not been involved in terrorist activities. Al-Maliki declared, however, that insurgent killers would not escape justice regardless of whether their victims were coalition forces or Iraqis.
"The launch of this national reconciliation initiative should not be read as a reward for the killers and criminals or acceptance of their actions. No, one thousand times no. There can be no agreement with them unless they face the justice," he said.
The new Iraqi leader, in power just more than a month, said he was realistic about the difficult road that lay ahead.
"We realize that there is a legion of those who have tread the path of evil (who) ... will continue with their criminal acts," he said.
But he held out an offer of peace to those who would renounce violence, while threatening retribution and punishment to those who would not.
"To those who want to rebuild our country, we present an olive branch ... And to those who insist on killing and terrorism, we present a fist with the power of law to protect our country and people," he told lawmakers, who applauded his speech.
U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad congratulated the government on the initiative and urged Iraqi leaders to move quickly.
"The leaders of Iraq's various communities should truly be leaders to their people, and begin to take responsibility for bringing sectarian violence to an end," he said. "I urge the insurgents to lay down their arms and join the democratic process initiated by their fellow Iraqis."
The plan also was endorsed by the senior Sunni political figure in parliament.
"In the name of Iraqi Accordance Front, I support and agree with this initiative and call upon all Iraqis to support it because it will be the first step toward security, stability and the building of a new Iraq," said Adnan al-Dulaimi, whose organization represents the three key Sunni political parties in parliament.
The Iraqi parliament was to debate the plan, which is believed to face considerable opposition among hard-liners on both sides of the Sunni-Shiite divide, in sessions this week.
In the south, the first of Japan's force of 600 soldiers being withdrawn from Iraq crossed the border into Kuwait.
The Japanese withdrawal of its soldiers, who are conducting a humanitarian and reconstruction mission, began with the departure of about 15 vehicles transporting trucks, bulldozers and equipment from the provincial capital of Samawah early Sunday morning. The journey south to Kuwait is 210 miles.
As the Japanese ended their mission in Iraq, al-Maliki's reconciliation plan said there should be a timeline established for Iraqi forces to take over all security duties in the country. It did not, however, include specifics on the withdrawal of American and British forces.
The plan also seeks compensation for former detainees "and those who were killed by Iraqi and American forces" and says their time spent in prison would be considered part of their mandatory military service.
Al-Maliki also said he wanted a general pardon for thousands of prisoners who are determined not to have committed "crimes and clear terrorist actions."
Hundreds of prisoners have been pardoned and release in recent months in what is seen as a bid by the Shiite-dominated government to appease Sunni Arab anger over allegations of random detentions and maltreatment.
The proposal also would set rules of engagement for military offensives. That was seen as a bid to alleviate Sunni anger over the alleged killing of innocent civilians and bystanders by U.S. and Iraqi forces.
The reconciliation plan also would call for a reconsideration of policies against supporters of former President Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party.
The plan said a dialogue should be opened with all organizations willing to participate in the political process "except al-Qaida" and hard-line supporters of Saddam.
Shortly after taking office May 20, al-Maliki vowed to take over security issues from American and other foreign troops in all of Iraq's 18 provinces within 18 months.
The Bush administration has repeatedly said U.S. troops will stay in Iraq until Iraqi security forces can defend the country against a lethal insurgency that rose up after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
Casey said earlier this week that he expected reductions in U.S. forces this year but did not agree with congressional efforts to put a timetable on the effort.
"I don't like it, I feel it would limit my flexibility" and give the enemy a schedule to focus on, he said.
MyWay
Looks like everyone, even the administrations puppets agree with the democrats. All we need now is for the American public to follow the lead.
posted by madtom at 12:51 PM
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