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Iraq postpones amnesty announcement
Monday, July 5, 2004 Posted: 12:01 PM EDT (1601 GMT) BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqâs interim government delayed indefinitely an announcement on a possible partial-amnesty deal for low-level insurgents, a spokesman for interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said Monday. Smart move, guys. Give the scum a taste of bootheel first before tossing them a bone. No sense in making nice to the hardcore types without showing them what awaits further resistance. Sunday, government spokesman George Sada told CNN that none of the "hard-core" criminals -- including those accused of murder -- would be eligible for amnesty. Only those who were "misled" by the leaders of the insurgency would qualify, he said. Gonna get some help from the Yemeni and Saudi courts to sort out these harmless types? However, many questions about a possible amnesty remain, including who would be covered by such a deal and how strict it would be. The interim government hopes to use a limited amnesty to weaken the ties within the insurgency between the former Baathist regime of Saddam Hussein and the militants, seen as a growing alliance. As with all theories, it looks better on paper than in real life. Iraqi official sources have told CNN that an amnesty could cover 5,000 supporters of Saddam Husseinâs former regime who are involved in the insurgency against Americans and the interim government. In exchange, they would be asked to disarm and for information leading to the capture or killing of insurgency leaders. Nudge, nuge ... ya hear that, Sadr? It was not clear if an amnesty would cover Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shiite Muslim cleric charged by an Iraqi court in the April 2003 murder of a rival. His Mehdi Army militia has battled U.S. and other coalition troops for weeks in the southern Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala and the surrounding area. Why has it not been made clear that there is no deal for Sadr on the books. Itâs not like that would polarize things any more than they are already. Al-Sadr on Friday denounced the interim government in Iraq as no different from the U.S. occupation. In other news, Pope and bear. Tape at 11:00. Still, a less than subtle message to the interim Iraqi government. Sadrâs thugs have cheerfully been killing Americans. If they do not see any difference, then they have effectively just threatened to begin killing Iraqi government heads. Did that come through loud and clear, Allawi? Still, Allawi said on ABCâs "This Week" in a taped interview broadcast Sunday that al-Sadr had told the interim government through an intermediary that he wanted to participate in Iraqâs new political process. Good, make Sadrâs the second celebrity trial when Saddamâs is finished. Thatâs about all the "participation" Sadr deserves. Posted by: Zenster 2004-07-05 |
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