Posted on 10/25/2006 8:25:52 AM PDT by MNJohnnie
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1725292/posts?page=1
Iraqi Government Plans to Demobilize Illegal Militias
WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2006 – The Iraqi government has plans to demobilize all illegal militias, including radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s so-called “Mahdi Army,” the senior U.S. diplomat in Iraq said today.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki “has agreed to getting rid of the militias,” U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters at a Baghdad news conference.
Illegal militias that commit violence and murder need to be dealt with, Khalilzad said, noting the Iraqi government recognizes that fact.
Maliki wants to demobilize all the militias, including al-Sadr’s, Khalilzad said. Yet, he noted, U.S. officials don’t have direct contact with Sadr, although there is some interaction with some of Sadr’s representatives in the Iraqi Assembly.
Khalilzad said he believes that an integrated, political approach is the best way to try to convince militia leaders to disband their men and stack arms.
However, Maliki doesn’t rule out the use of force to coerce the militias to disband, Khalilzad said. “We will see what happens,” he added.
Khalilzad said he believes the Iraqi government is taking the right path in addressing the militia issue. Iraq’s prime minister is anxious for Iraqis to assume more security roles and responsibilities, to include dealing the problem of militias, the ambassador said.
Meanwhile, U.S., coalition and Iraqi security forces “are actively tracking, targeting, detaining people who are operating in death squads, and their leadership, who are breaking the law,” Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said.
When Iraq’s government zeroes in on the militia issue, then the Iraqi security forces will become the dominant security forces in the country, Casey predicted.
“I think it will happen,” he said.
Please, you forgot the sarcasm tag.
I'm the luckiest girl on earth. I'm a conservative, so obviously not stupid, my family loves me, especially my doggy, AND I have FR and FRiends!
Read my new tagline.
Yum!!!!!
Mark needs a call from that little guy of yours again!
Impact Segment
Military solutions in Iraq
Guest: Fox News military analyst Gen. Wesley Clark
Now that even President Bush concedes that new tactics are needed in Iraq, Fox News analyst Wesley Clark suggested some options. "We have to talk to countries in the region, especially Iran and Syria. They're part of the equation, whether we like it or not. We also have to be serious about the objectives - we're not going to get a Western democracy in Iraq. Our goals should be minimal, holding Iraq together. If you want to win this war, you have to win it on several different levels, and the military is the last, last resort." The Factor challenged Gen. Clark on a separate issue. "Your political group WesPAC accepted $75,000 from far left bomb-thrower George Soros. He wants open borders, a one-world government, legalized narcotics, and I don't think you want any of that." Clark justified his association with Soros this way: "He is a very responsible financier who wants to see Democrats in office. He's a guy who's pretty experienced, he's called a lot of things right, and he's done a lot for the world."
I'm calling the doctor.
Wes Clark is a real POS!
He never changes.
Thanks for remembering JJ! I emailed Mark on behalf of myself and Jr. today asking that we all just forget yesterday and that he return to the Lounge for all of us who love him.
Gee, I thought I was up on my Civil War history, but I haven't heard of this one. I'll have to go educate myself.
MOONBAT
MOONBAT!
How many times does Rush have to explain this to these morons?
Including destroying the economies of several countries. Yeah, the guy is a real peach.
We Lost ):
Too many.
Why do you think holdonnow will not return to the lounge?
Intelligent and Democrat does not compute.
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