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Iraq's Allawi Extends Arms-For-Cash Plan
Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi announced plans Monday to extend a cash-for-weapons program for Shiite fighters in Baghdad's Sadr City to cities nationwide in an attempt to disarm the country. The announcement of plans to extend the weapons-for-cash program came as fresh violence erupted in Baghdad and Mosul. The government launched the program in Sadr City as part of a deal to end weeks of fighting in the Shiite district of Baghdad and has twice extended the deadline for fighters to hand in their weapons. On Monday, Allawi told the National Council, a government oversight body, that the program is going so well he wants to extend it to the rest of Iraq. ``The government is determined to disarm cities and neighborhoods because our forces are now ready to fight terrorists and there's no justification for people to keep weapons at home,'' Allawi said.Posted by: Steve White 2004-10-19 |
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