Friday, February 16, 2007
Al-Hashemi says 'resistance' should have option to join political process
Security, Insurgency, Politics
(AP) Sunni insurgents who are "honorable and genuine" must be given the chance to join the political process now that the United States is anxious to pull its troops from Iraq, the country's Sunni vice president said in an interview published Friday. Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi told the Arabic language daily Al-Hayat that U.S. and Iraqi representatives must negotiate "with the participation of the resistance" after "America has failed to run the country.
Furthermore, al-Hashemi said that "the honorable national resistance" must adopt "a new ideology to manage the crisis." Al-Hashemi, leader of the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party, has in recent months been sharply critical of Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki over his alleged reluctance to move against Shiite militias linked to sectarian killings. Shiite leaders have recoiled at the use of the word "resistance" to describe Sunni insurgents — especially those who attack U.S. and coalition troops rather than Iraqi civilians. Shiite politicians, including al-Maliki, refer to Sunni insurgents as "terrorists," "Saddamists" or "Takfiris," religious extremists who consider Shiites as infidels.
Al-Hashemi also criticized the militant Sunni Association of Muslim Scholars, accusing it of meddling in politics and rejecting the notion that it represents the country's Sunni Arabs. Many Association figures are believed closely linked to insurgents. The vice president accused al-Maliki of squandering the opportunity early in his administration to deal with the Shiite militias. The U.S. has been pressing al-Maliki to crack down on Shiite gunmen, especially the Mahdi Army of his political ally, Muqtada al-Sadr. Al-Hashemi said that recently, the prime minister "realized the danger to the law posed by the militias but his move against them is late again." He said al-Sadr's militia had hidden their weapons and their key leaders slipped out of the country to avoid the recently launched crackdown in Baghdad.
Furthermore, al-Hashemi said that "the honorable national resistance" must adopt "a new ideology to manage the crisis." Al-Hashemi, leader of the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party, has in recent months been sharply critical of Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki over his alleged reluctance to move against Shiite militias linked to sectarian killings. Shiite leaders have recoiled at the use of the word "resistance" to describe Sunni insurgents — especially those who attack U.S. and coalition troops rather than Iraqi civilians. Shiite politicians, including al-Maliki, refer to Sunni insurgents as "terrorists," "Saddamists" or "Takfiris," religious extremists who consider Shiites as infidels.
Al-Hashemi also criticized the militant Sunni Association of Muslim Scholars, accusing it of meddling in politics and rejecting the notion that it represents the country's Sunni Arabs. Many Association figures are believed closely linked to insurgents. The vice president accused al-Maliki of squandering the opportunity early in his administration to deal with the Shiite militias. The U.S. has been pressing al-Maliki to crack down on Shiite gunmen, especially the Mahdi Army of his political ally, Muqtada al-Sadr. Al-Hashemi said that recently, the prime minister "realized the danger to the law posed by the militias but his move against them is late again." He said al-Sadr's militia had hidden their weapons and their key leaders slipped out of the country to avoid the recently launched crackdown in Baghdad.
Labels: politics, Sunni insurgents, Tariq al-Hashemi
