Posted on 04/07/2004 9:07:18 AM PDT by Mark Felton
BAGHDAD, April 7 (Reuters) - Iraq's U.S.-installed Governing Council has discussed a proposal not to prosecute the rebel cleric Moqtada al-Sadr for murder if he agrees to halt a Shi'ite uprising, council members said on Wednesday.
They told Reuters after meeting to discuss the violence sweeping Iraq that using more force against the young cleric and his followers could lead to more civilian casualties and bolster support for him.
"Iraq could refrain from pursuing the arrest warrant in return for Moqtada renouncing violence," said one Shi'ite council member, who was speaking on condition of anonymity.
"The situation would be akin to Lebanon's Subhi al-Tufaili, who is contained," he said, referring to the ex-Lebanese Hizbollah Shi'ite guerrilla group leader.
Tufaili is wanted for allegedly killing Lebanese soldiers and trying to assassinate a former Lebanese president years ago, but he roams the Bekaa Valley freely while staying away from vocal politics.
An arrest warrant is out for Sadr in connection with the killing of another cleric who returned from exile a year ago.
The murder of Sayyed Abdel Majid al-Khoei, the son of the late Grand Ayatollah Abu al-Qassem al-Khoei, sparked fears of violent divisions among Iraq's Shi'ite leadership.
Sadr has denied involvement in Khoei's murder. The arrest warrant was issued months ago but was only announced after his followers clashed with U.S. forces last week. The U.S. military says he will be arrested.
UPRISING
The cleric's followers have fought with occupation forces in the southern cities of Nassiriya, Amara, Kut, Kerbala and Najaf, vowing to carry on a revolt that has killed over 130 people since Sunday.
The Governing Council issued a statement denouncing the violence, but was considering taking a proactive stance to end the crisis, council sources said.
"The members will not sign on the plan and no delegation will go see Moqtada unless we are sure he can be contained," said an official with close links to the 25-member council.
"Using more force against him will not work and the Americans know this. Many more will die and even more radical elements could emerge if he is killed," he said.
Council members said previous attempts to integrate Sadr into the U.S.-led political process had failed.
They said a Governing Council delegation secretly met Sadr last year after his supporters fought in Kerbala with followers of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, regarded as the country's most influential Shi'ite cleric.
Sadr then agreed not to resort to violence but insisted the United States should withdraw its occupation forces from Iraq, they added.
Moderate Shi'ite leaders such as Sistani are seen as wary of being drawn into the conflict. Police in the seminary city of Najaf have allowed Sadr's followers to occupy their stations, and Sistani's followers let them effectively take over the city.
"There is not much Shi'ite holy men like Sistani can do," the council official said. "They are men of religion, not interior ministers."
No, the Americans DON'T know this. In fact, we believe the exact opposite is true.
However, we also understand the need for CYA on the part of Iraqi politicians. They will need "cover" if we cut and run. (John Kerry, Teddy Kennedy, etc., add fuel to this fear with their treasonous comments.)
Council members said previous attempts to integrate Sadr into the U.S.-led political process had failed.
THAT part we believe.
And the real government-- which will write the real constitution-- will care even less about our wishes than the puppet government.
Notice in the first paragraph, they "discussed a proposal" and in the second, the idea of not prosecuting is being leaked by ONE Shiite, who wanted to remain anonymous.
And these two paragraphs seem contradictory. They want him contained, but no force used against him, HUH???
"The members will not sign on the plan and no delegation will go see Moqtada unless we are sure he can be contained," said an official with close links to the 25-member council.
"Using more force against him will not work and the Americans know this. Many more will die and even more radical elements could emerge if he is killed," he said.
The guy is a dead man.
Unintended consequences are what makes things interesting. There are always unintended consequences - Some can be "disasterous", some can be beneficial. Let's just see what happens.
We turned out OK.
We bribed the Barbary Pirates for our first 12 years, we made deals with renegade indians who'd murdered frontiermen, and then there was the famous deal with LaFitte in the War of 1812.
I doubt if this proposal is going anywhere though, despite Reuters high hopes.
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