Ending the Iraq War

The Iraqis step up—as has been asked for by many US legislators and pundits--and offer a peace deal to their countrymen who are Sunni insurgents.

THE Iraqi Government will announce a sweeping peace plan as early as Sunday in a last-ditch effort to end the Sunni insurgency that has taken the country to the brink of civil war.

The 28-point package for national reconciliation will offer Iraqi resistance groups inclusion in the political process and an amnesty for their prisoners if they renounce violence and lay down their arms…”

Additionally, the Iraqi government is willing to guarantee a timeline for the withdrawal of Coalition troops.

The Government will promise a finite, UN-approved timeline for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Iraq; a halt to US operations against insurgent strongholds; an end to human rights violations, including those by coalition troops; and compensation for victims of attacks by terrorists or Iraqi and coalition forces. [SNIP]

It builds on months of secret talks involving Jalal al-Talabani, the Iraqi President, Zalmay Khalilzad, the US Ambassador, and seven Sunni insurgent groups.

Following onto the defeat of US legislation which spelled out the same for the withdrawal of US troops from the country, this offer may seem to be just as futile. However, with the Iraqi government itself offering an amnesty for those who have killed both Coalition forces and Iraqis, the offer contains far more legitimacy than does some governmental decision from far away.

The only problem—and it’s a big problem—is this: will the insurgents hold to their agreement with the Iraqi government once the various Coalition troops have high-tailed it for home? Can the majority Shi'ia government of Iraq trust their Sunni fellows to want to coexist in peace and to not seek vengeance for all of the death and terror that has come between the two groups for hundreds of years?

Since the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom in its various guises, there have been all too many reports of hundreds of Iraqis being found recently murdered—tortured and beheaded—in various locations in Iraq, along with Iraqi politicians and members of their families falling to snipers. However, as noted in the Times of London article, the idea of amnesty has been in the works for some time. But what spurred the Iraqi government into making this offer public? I suspect that four incidents did so.

1. The death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi at the hands of the US military.
2. Last week’s visit to Iraq from President Bush.
3. The kidnapping and horrific deaths (at the hands of terrorists) of PFC Kristian Menchaca and PFC Thomas Tucker (both US Army; may the Lord Jesus Christ rest their souls and bring comfort to their families).
4. The above-mentioned US legislation attempting to cut short the deployment of US forces in Iraq.

The idea of of amnesty for rebels against a government isn’t unprecedented. A source to the article--an unnamed US official--points out the following:

"This is what we did after the Second World War, after the Civil War, after the War of Independence. It may be unpalatable and unsavoury but it is how wars end.”

The Iraqi government is rolling the di—betting on the desire for national, sectarian and tribal survival for all. Will the gamble pay off? Only time will tell.

(Thanks to Richard Fernandez)

Comments

[Teal Marie]

Mmmk.
Does that amnesty extend to our soldiers, or is that none of my business, me being a chicken noodle and all that?

[skinner]

Excellant Point Teal Marie
Youre clucking up the same tree I was One of those soldiers that was ambushed kidnapped and mutilated was form a town 20 miles north of where I live Madras Oregon The local news
was pretty damned extensive...
The mother was pretty well pissed
and then the father said something that made me think he was a total moron " Im not angry at anyone , They just did what theyre people told them to do"
I couldnt beleieve my freaking ears WHAT ???? I want to beleive this guy was in shock because this is totally irrational . We cant pass judgement on the marines that were accused But its pretty damn easy , when you find,
2 G.Is. with there eyes gouged out and being used as boobie traps . what it is , youre dealing with
I say Personally Screw amnesty
I dont give a shit how other wars ended The civil war, for one
never ended ,as southern criminals continued to get revenge Long afterwards . This decision I think BELONGS to the people Involved in the war The ones doing the bleeding and watching the bleeding We need to at least give them that.....
plus some real serious air support and then they can leave
with the ,added ,dignity they deserve These new wars are ridiculous the liberal press jeopardizes operations by announcing them before hand
I think we need a pay back.
Bush said, we will consider anyone that harbors or aids terroist... as terrorists. This applies to villages also. We know
which villages are safe havens Let the liberal news announce the villages we are going to BLOW and give them a full 10 minutes head start If they want to be martyred they can light up the Hookah and prepare for the big suprise

[tioedong]

Amnesty. Good idea.
You see, you have to distinguish between the murderous criminals, the ideologues, and the fellow travelers who have a reason to join.
Here in the Philippines, they have had several amnesties that prevented the Moro and the Huk/NFP uprisings from becoming civil wars.
In Colombia, similar amnesties have saved lives.
People are human. They get tired of fighting (even Geronimo gave up because he wanted to protect his band's families).
But if they think the choice is death or fight, they'll fight.
So boys who joined because of a fuzzy idea of patriotism or because they were bored or because everyone was doing it (like in US Gangs) will be open to having jobs where they can raise families.
Those who have real grievences (e.g. family member killed by US war deeds) can ask for compensation.
Criminals also sometimes outgrow criminality if they find a wife and job. Right now, criminals find they can make a good living stealing and kidnapping and setting up IED's. Give them money to work, some will change jobs.
Finally, the ideologues will fight on until they are killed, exiled, or imprisoned.
But Amnesty will cut the number of those we have to fight.

[skinner]

Hey Cousin pecker YOU ARE DELUSIONAL I pray to God you cant vote " Criminals somtimes outgrow criminality if they find wife and job " WHERES youre husband tonight honey Bowling?
my ass How'd you meet him ?
Please I dont want to know
O k No problem I chop off peoples heads in Tailand Know I good citizen In Amelika...... GET LOST!!!

[skinner]

You Know what Miss Locks as much as I love ya I got to say This scrambled up letters and
numbers thing is driving me bananas ... Im 54 .. for crying out load I cant always find the readin glasses somtimes I trip and hurt myself or fall on my dog whos really nice and cute
I Know my brother whose legally blind couldnt post and he has really stupid stuff to say just like I do please Cut it out You Know I love you and would never spam you I dont even Know how to spam But I can cook up a mean dish of corned beef and egg
omelette ala mushrooms+swisschese

[skinner]

Family killed by U.S war deeds?
Look Tio DONG we didnt start this war IDIOT Sadam Hussein did
This moron had every chance given to him to comply with worldwide Manners and he failed to do so You Phillipinos need to wake up or youll be N. Korean slaves before you can say...... Si ya narara. Or Bonzai or whatever the hell it is youre always babbling . You seem to accept atrocities like its no big deal This is sick ... Oh my husband used to murder people in they're sleep and then chop off they're heads but It was because he didnt have a girlfreind Now I am his girlfreind and he doesnt chop my head off because I walk behind him like a dog and can always see him And I replaced his real sword with plastic life saber replica HE HE !!!!!!