Iraq announces peace plan, refuses foreign interference

[rodeodance]

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060722/1/429g5.html

Sunday July 23, 12:20 AM

Iraq announces peace plan, refuses foreign interference


AFP Photo

Iraq held the first meeting of a homegrown peace initiative, with the country's top leaders vowing to reconcile the warring factions amid protests over US meddling.

"This is an Iraqi initiative for those who are part of the political process," Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told reporters, while the speaker of parliament urged US-led coalition forces not to interfere.

Maliki said Saturday the Supreme Committee for National Reconciliation had already received positive signals from some of the insurgent groups battling security forces and US troops, including one led by a former army officer.

Parliament speaker Mahmud Mashhadani, a conservative Sunni Islamist, said the committee would work to persuade groups which have opposed the political process to lay down their arms.

[rodeodance]

1. '

.Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) opened a conference on transitional justice and national reconciliation meant to support the government efforts.

But parliament speaker Mashhadani ruffled feathers when he gave a combative opening address in which he blamed many of Iraq's problems on US forces, and called for foreigners to end their interference.

"Just get your hands off Iraq and the Iraqi people and Muslim countries, and everything will be alright," he said, addressing coalition forces.

"What has been done in Iraq is a kind of butchery of the Iraqi people," he said in a long speech that criticized the tactics of the coalition forces in Iraq and US support for Israeli strikes against Lebanon.

........Mashhadani bluntly told his audience of UN officials, foreign experts, politicians and civil society representatives that Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) opened a conference on transitional justice and national reconciliation meant to support the government efforts.

But parliament speaker Mashhadani ruffled feathers when he gave a combative opening address in which he blamed many of Iraq's problems on US forces, and called for foreigners to end their interference.

"Just get your hands off Iraq and the Iraqi people and Muslim countries, and everything will be alright," he said, addressing coalition forces.

"What has been done in Iraq is a kind of butchery of the Iraqi people," he said in a long speech that criticized the tactics of the coalition forces in Iraq and US support for Israeli strikes against Lebanon.

Mashhadani bluntly told his audience of UN officials, foreign experts, politicians and civil society representatives that Iraqis had little use for advice on running their country or foreign-sponsored conferences. or foreign-sponsored conferences.

[msongs]

2. is he referring to the USA and george w bush?

"Parliament speaker Mahmud Mashhadani, a conservative Sunni Islamist, said the committee would work to persuade groups which have opposed the political process to lay down their arms."

The USA is not the slightest bit interested in letting Iraq determine its own democratic system unless the outcome is exactly what suits the needs of the bush administration. It is not democracy, it is...something else.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[Judi Lynn]

3. Maliki's speech is wonderful, and courageous. Damned decent of

a media source to print what he said, for crying out loud, too!

But parliament speaker Mashhadani ruffled feathers when he gave a combative opening address in which he blamed many of Iraq's problems on US forces, and called for foreigners to end their interference.

"Just get your hands off Iraq and the Iraqi people and Muslim countries, and everything will be alright," he said, addressing coalition forces.

"What has been done in Iraq is a kind of butchery of the Iraqi people," he said in a long speech that criticized the tactics of the coalition forces in Iraq and US support for Israeli strikes against Lebanon.

Mashhadani bluntly told his audience of UN officials, foreign experts, politicians and civil society representatives that Iraqis had little use for advice on running their country or foreign-sponsored conferences.

"What we need is reconciliation between Iraqis only -- there can be no third party," he said.
(snip)

Hoping this will enourage more people in leadership positions to start telling the truth, even if it makes the American right-wing wild with rage.

[Warren Stupidity]

6. You are quoting Mashhadani not Maliki.

Maliki is much more obsequious. Mashhadani is a Sunni and a Wahabi Salafite Sunni at that, which means he basically shares the same religious/ideological world view as our good buddy hiding in some plush clinic in pakistan, OBL.

[MrPrax]

4. US Meddling...?

What an ingrate...after all that the US has done for you.

Why am I thinking that if this guy keeps it up, the 'whole idea' of an Iraqi government and their 'experiment in democracy' will be shelved as quickly as you can type, 'rockets hit the Iraqi Parliament today'

[54anickel]

5. Perhaps they've come to the realization that they will be no worse,

and probably better off without the US forces. I think the fear/threat of the US "abandoning" Iraq is what made some of the leaders US puppets. Maybe they have come to realize that it is not when Iraqi troops can stand on their own that matters, but when the Iraqi officials stand on their own. Good for them....not that it will be a "slam dunk", but it certainly can't get much worse than it already is. Despite US denial, Iraq is in the middle of a civil war.

[Vidar]

7. Remarkable courage in the face of American treachery.

[uppityperson]

8. Iraq for Iraqis, USA out.