.Iraq PM says Sunni militia can stop bombings
BAGHDAD — Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki gave his backing Monday to calls for a Sunni Arab former rebel militia to be reactivated to help stop deadly bombings that have rocked the nation's security.
The apparent willingness to make greater use of the US-backed Sahwa (Awakening) or Sons of Iraq was a U-turn by Maliki, who was beaten into second place in elections last month largely because he was rejected by voters in Sunni provinces.
"There are demands from security commanders to make use of the Sons of Iraq, within the intelligence effort because they know a lot about dormant terrorist cells," Maliki told a conference on national reconciliation in Baghdad.
Maliki, who pledged to "give support to the Sahwa and respond to their needs," told the conference Iraq did not need "more tanks and soldiers" because "only intelligence efforts can put an end to terror and terrorists."
"We promise to be by your side, the ministers council and the security forces will be by your side," he added, referring to the Sunni fighters.
In April last year, Maliki alienated the Sahwa -- who joined American and Iraqi forces in fighting insurgents in 2006 and 2007, leading to a dramatic fall in violence -- by charging that they had been infiltrated by Al-Qaeda and loyalists of Saddam Hussein's ousted regime.
Control of the Sahwa passed to Iraq last October, and for the past year their wages -- said to have been cut from 300 dollars under US leadership to 100 dollars -- have been paid, often late, by Maliki's Shiite-led government.
The Iraqi premier is fighting to cling on to his job having narrowly lost a March 7 general election -- by 89 seats to 91 -- to Shiite former prime minister Iyad Allawi, whose secular Iraqiya alliance won strong support in Sunni areas.
Both men are locked in protracted bargaining with other political parties to try and secure the 163 seats necessary to form a government in Iraq's new 325-seat parliament.
Baghdad has seen a series of deadly suicide attacks since August last year, on government buildings and most recently foreign embassies, which have killed hundreds of people and stoked fears that security is weakening.
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The apparent willingness to make greater use of the US-backed Sahwa (Awakening) or Sons of Iraq was a U-turn by Maliki, who was beaten into second place in elections last month largely because he was rejected by voters in Sunni provinces.
"There are demands from security commanders to make use of the Sons of Iraq, within the intelligence effort because they know a lot about dormant terrorist cells," Maliki told a conference on national reconciliation in Baghdad.
Maliki, who pledged to "give support to the Sahwa and respond to their needs," told the conference Iraq did not need "more tanks and soldiers" because "only intelligence efforts can put an end to terror and terrorists."
"We promise to be by your side, the ministers council and the security forces will be by your side," he added, referring to the Sunni fighters.
In April last year, Maliki alienated the Sahwa -- who joined American and Iraqi forces in fighting insurgents in 2006 and 2007, leading to a dramatic fall in violence -- by charging that they had been infiltrated by Al-Qaeda and loyalists of Saddam Hussein's ousted regime.
Control of the Sahwa passed to Iraq last October, and for the past year their wages -- said to have been cut from 300 dollars under US leadership to 100 dollars -- have been paid, often late, by Maliki's Shiite-led government.
The Iraqi premier is fighting to cling on to his job having narrowly lost a March 7 general election -- by 89 seats to 91 -- to Shiite former prime minister Iyad Allawi, whose secular Iraqiya alliance won strong support in Sunni areas.
Both men are locked in protracted bargaining with other political parties to try and secure the 163 seats necessary to form a government in Iraq's new 325-seat parliament.
Baghdad has seen a series of deadly suicide attacks since August last year, on government buildings and most recently foreign embassies, which have killed hundreds of people and stoked fears that security is weakening.
posted by madtom at 4:42 PM
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