Iraq amnesty plan lacks detail
By Sabrina Tavernise
Copyright by The New York Times
Published: June 25, 2006
BAGHDAD Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki presented a muted "national reconciliation" plan on Sunday that outlined a general direction for his new government but offered neither a broad amnesty for insurgents nor any new options for members of Saddam Hussein's formerly ruling Baath Party.
Also on Sunday, an Islamic militant group that represents Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia posted a video on the Internet that shows the beheading of one Russian Embassy worker and the shooting death of another. The militant group, the Mujahideen Shura, claimed to have executed four Russians whom they kidnapped on June 3 in central Baghdad.
At least 19 people were killed in violence across Iraq on Sunday, according to Reuters. And in the third large-scale kidnapping this month, gunmen seized 16 employees of a technology institute north of Baghdad, an Interior Ministry official said.
Maliki's plan, intended to decrease insurgent attacks through dialogue and amnesty, was weeks in the making, with all of Iraq's religious and ethnic political blocs participating. But Maliki appeared to have opted for a version that did not stake out any new ground, and simply repackaged previous pronouncements.
The government pardon would apply only to prisoners who "were not involved in criminal or terrorist activities," a category of people, who, it appeared, would have been released anyway.
"The idea of the reconciliation and national dialogue should not be understood as rewarding the killers," Maliki said. "No - no reconciliation with those until they get their fair punishment by the justice for the criminal acts they committed."
A government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he did not want to be seen as critical said: "Ninety nine point nine percent of the principles in that plan have been included in the Constitution and in the political program of the government. It's basically collecting them and putting them under one umbrella."
The U.S. ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, said in a briefing later that the amnesty, thought to be a key element of the plan, would be "context-dependent," and that "a lot of details will need to be worked out." But he added that the amnesty would not give cover to insurgents who had killed Americans.
"Those who've lost their lives to liberate this country and provide a historic opportunity, their sacrifice will be respected," he said.
Sunni Arab politicians who claim to be close to the insurgency say that to stop the rebellion the government must negotiate with Iraqi "resistance" fighters who oppose the occupation.
Maliki did not address the issue in detail, saying only that the government would offer an "olive branch" to those who "want to build," but would prosecute to the full extent of the law those fighters who "insist on aggression, terror and killing."
"We want outspoken acknowledgment for the national resistance, and it must be a direct statement," said Dhafer al-Ani, a member of the largest Sunni Arab bloc in Parliament.
But some U.S. senators expressed doubts about the amnesty. Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, the Democrats' deputy leader, said on ABC-TV: "To think of the lives that we have put on the line for the future of this nation, and that those who are responsible for killing our soldiers would not be held accountable, is not acceptable."
Senator John Warner of Virginia, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said on Fox News that the United States would have "a voice" on the amnesty issue, but that ultimately Washington would have to defer to Iraqi sovereignty.
Another point Sunni Arabs say needs addressing is how long U.S. troops will stay. Sunnis say insurgents are looking for a timetable for withdrawal. U.S. commanders have said a drawdown of two combat brigades could happen in September, but that any reduction would be based on the progress of Iraqi forces. Khalilzad reiterated that intention: "We will adjust our forces, but we'll do it based on conditions, and the condition is that Iraqis can take care of themselves."
Maliki made an effort to address a third sore point for Sunni Arabs, what they call the overly tough criteria imposed by the country's de-Baathification committee.
He said the committee would not exclude the vast majority of low- and mid- level former Baathists from participating in politics. Still, any change in the way the committee functions would require a change in the constitution and parliamentary approval, difficult to win.
By Sabrina Tavernise
Copyright by The New York Times
Published: June 25, 2006
BAGHDAD Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki presented a muted "national reconciliation" plan on Sunday that outlined a general direction for his new government but offered neither a broad amnesty for insurgents nor any new options for members of Saddam Hussein's formerly ruling Baath Party.
Also on Sunday, an Islamic militant group that represents Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia posted a video on the Internet that shows the beheading of one Russian Embassy worker and the shooting death of another. The militant group, the Mujahideen Shura, claimed to have executed four Russians whom they kidnapped on June 3 in central Baghdad.
At least 19 people were killed in violence across Iraq on Sunday, according to Reuters. And in the third large-scale kidnapping this month, gunmen seized 16 employees of a technology institute north of Baghdad, an Interior Ministry official said.
Maliki's plan, intended to decrease insurgent attacks through dialogue and amnesty, was weeks in the making, with all of Iraq's religious and ethnic political blocs participating. But Maliki appeared to have opted for a version that did not stake out any new ground, and simply repackaged previous pronouncements.
The government pardon would apply only to prisoners who "were not involved in criminal or terrorist activities," a category of people, who, it appeared, would have been released anyway.
"The idea of the reconciliation and national dialogue should not be understood as rewarding the killers," Maliki said. "No - no reconciliation with those until they get their fair punishment by the justice for the criminal acts they committed."
A government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he did not want to be seen as critical said: "Ninety nine point nine percent of the principles in that plan have been included in the Constitution and in the political program of the government. It's basically collecting them and putting them under one umbrella."
The U.S. ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, said in a briefing later that the amnesty, thought to be a key element of the plan, would be "context-dependent," and that "a lot of details will need to be worked out." But he added that the amnesty would not give cover to insurgents who had killed Americans.
"Those who've lost their lives to liberate this country and provide a historic opportunity, their sacrifice will be respected," he said.
Sunni Arab politicians who claim to be close to the insurgency say that to stop the rebellion the government must negotiate with Iraqi "resistance" fighters who oppose the occupation.
Maliki did not address the issue in detail, saying only that the government would offer an "olive branch" to those who "want to build," but would prosecute to the full extent of the law those fighters who "insist on aggression, terror and killing."
"We want outspoken acknowledgment for the national resistance, and it must be a direct statement," said Dhafer al-Ani, a member of the largest Sunni Arab bloc in Parliament.
But some U.S. senators expressed doubts about the amnesty. Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, the Democrats' deputy leader, said on ABC-TV: "To think of the lives that we have put on the line for the future of this nation, and that those who are responsible for killing our soldiers would not be held accountable, is not acceptable."
Senator John Warner of Virginia, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said on Fox News that the United States would have "a voice" on the amnesty issue, but that ultimately Washington would have to defer to Iraqi sovereignty.
Another point Sunni Arabs say needs addressing is how long U.S. troops will stay. Sunnis say insurgents are looking for a timetable for withdrawal. U.S. commanders have said a drawdown of two combat brigades could happen in September, but that any reduction would be based on the progress of Iraqi forces. Khalilzad reiterated that intention: "We will adjust our forces, but we'll do it based on conditions, and the condition is that Iraqis can take care of themselves."
Maliki made an effort to address a third sore point for Sunni Arabs, what they call the overly tough criteria imposed by the country's de-Baathification committee.
He said the committee would not exclude the vast majority of low- and mid- level former Baathists from participating in politics. Still, any change in the way the committee functions would require a change in the constitution and parliamentary approval, difficult to win.
posted by Carlos T Mock at 2:59 PM
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