Iraq insurgents offer to stop attacks

AP on Yahoo ^ | 6/28/06 | Steven R. Hurst and Qassim Abdul-Zahra - ap

[NormsRevenge]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Eleven Sunni insurgent groups have offered to halt attacks on the U.S.-led military if the Iraqi government and President Bush set a two-year timetable for withdrawing all foreign troops from the country, insurgent and government officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The demand is part of a broad offer from the groups, who operate north of Baghdad in the heavily Sunni Arab provinces of Salahuddin and Diyala. Although much of the fighting has been to the west, those provinces have become increasingly violent and the attacks there have regularly crippled oil and commerce routes.

The groups do not include the powerful Islamic Army in Iraq, Muhammad Army and the Mujahedeen Shura Council, the umbrella label for eight militant groups including al-Qaida in Iraq. But the new offer comes at a time when Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government is reaching out to militant Sunnis, including a new amnesty plan for insurgent fighters.

Al-Maliki, in remarks broadcast on national television Wednesday, did not issue an outright rejection of the timetable demand but said it was unrealistic because he could not be certain when the Iraqi army and police would be strong enough to assume full responsibility for the country's security.

Eight of the 11 insurgent groups banded together to approach al-Maliki's government under the name of The 1920 Revolution Brigade. All 11, however, have issued identical demands, said the insurgent representatives and government officials.

The officials spoke on condition of anomymity because of the sensitivity of the information and for fear of retribution.

[finnman69]

Zapping the Zarkman was a major turning point.

[StJacques]

I view this as an offer that should be treated as a "starting point," to enable the Iraqi government to divide the Sunni insurgents among themselves, separating them into "Secularists" and "Islamists." In my opinion there can never be any settlement with the "Islamists," but bringing the "Secularists" into open discourse with the Iraqi government may advance the isolation of Al-Qaeda in Iraq and other hard-line Islamists that is already an on-going development within the struggle. Sooner or later we can only succeed when an overwhelming majority of Iraqi Sunnis decide of their own free will to back the new Iraqi government, thus marginalizing the hard-line "Islamists" to the point where we can all be confident that the government can defend itself. A large number of Iraqi Sunnis are already in open conflict with Al Qaeda in Iraq and other hard-line Islamists, which is a natural result of the Sunni discovery that the Islamists are ready to kill anyone and everyone, whether guilty or innocent of opposing them.

I also would like to make clear that I am not proposing any outright acceptance of the terms the eleven insurgent groups have offered. I merely state that it would be a good idea to divide our enemies against themselves and this may present us with an opportunity to do that.

[Froufrou]

Well, that makes perfect sense. All the more reason to be suspicious! ;p

[kidd]

Gee, the terrorists are offering us more time than the democrats did.

[for-q-clinton]

They should say sure. then in 2 years just say we aren't ready due to the other Sunni groups still fighting.

[Just A Nobody]

This actually sounds very very good....

You think it is good to allow the terrorist murderers of the Iraqis and our Troops to decide how and when the war will be fought?

[leadpenny]

I'm surprised these groups haven't also offered to NOT impeach President Bush since they clearly plan to take over the House of Representatives this November. Could they be any more obvious?

[Pirate21]

The terrorists are hurting. Hit them harder!

I agree. They seem to "talk" when their backs are against the wall.

This should prove to the cut-and-run crowd that the enemy wants a timeline in order to try to win.
Hopefully we'll stick hard and fast to the "don't negotiate with terrorists" rule.

[thinkthenpost]

I like the idea of setting a date, maybe something like January 1, 2010 or 2011. I believe you then say something like, we have reviewed the situation on the ground and will complete withdrawal on October 4th, 2009, or 2007, 3 months, or 27 months ahead of schedule, or following consultations with our Iraqi allies we will have to move our withdrawal date to 01-01-2014. Regardless you take away a talking point from the opposition. The more they rant the more unhinged they seem, (as thought that's possible); My opinion only,.....

[frogjerk]

UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER IS THE ONLY OFFER WE WILL ACCEPT!

[scottdeus12]

"I like the idea of setting a date, maybe something like January 1, 2010 or 2011"

Why would you give terrorists the benefit of ANY date.......

Let's put it this way. You like in a neighborhood where there's a known criminal, terrorist, etc....Would you disclose to them when you are leaving your home? My guess is no.....

[Pirate21]

...insurgent and government officials told The Associated Press...

Insurgent officials?!?!?!?!? Oh man, AP at its finest.

Just who all is talking to whom?! I hope the Iraqi gov't isn't negotiating with the terrorists. And, who are the AP's contacts among the terrorists?
(Seething here.)

[TSchmereL]

An Islamists' "ceasefire" is called a "hudna" in Arabic. It is also known as a hudibiyya or khudaibiya. It is a tactical ceasefire that allows them to rebuild their terrorist infrastructure in order to be more effective when it is called off.

[armymarinedad]

I'm surprised their first offer was two years. Although Al-Maliki is the spokesperson for the negotiations it's important to remember that our embassy and military leaders in Iraq are two of the major advisers to the negotiations.

[Calusa]

HUDNA

Is that somewhat like Chutzpah!

[alloysteel]

This is a sucker deal.

Just hold off, the US and coalition forces leave, then they sweep in and upset the tenuous balance, re-imposing something like another Saddam Hussein, or opening the door to subjugation of the rest of Iraq to chaos and poverty.

It doesn't have to be that way.

[TSchmereL]

Not exactly. But it requires chutzpah to request a hudna.

[art_rocks]

The sad part. If the insurgents had not started their attacks after the war, we would have started to draw down last year and be planning to leave this year.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Truces, Arab Style

********************************

"What is being touted as a 'cease-fire' is something called a 'hudna.' A hudna [also known as a hudibiyya or khudaibiya] is a tactical cease-fire that allows the Arabs to rebuild their terrorist infrastructure in order to be more effective when the "cease-fire" is called off." -- "Cease-fire?" by Shira A. Drissman

• Overview
• "Kill them so that they know they are dying." How Prince Jarema Wisniowiecki dealt with envoys who brought a 17th-century hudna proposal
•  "I would not live in this Commonwealth, for I should be ashamed." Those who wish to negotiate with vicious enemies like terrorists are shanbiony or shanbiona.
• Dialogue of the Athenians and the Melians (Thucydides). The strong need not negotiate at all.
  • Negotiating with the enemy shows weakness
    
• Noam Chomsky, Tikkun.org, and the Geneva "negotiatiors" as reincarnations of King Henry VI
  
  • Neville Chamberlain
  • Pearl Harbor