Iraq Calls For US Pullout, Declares Insurgents Not Terrorists

from The Guardian :

Iraqi Leaders Call for Pullout Timetable

By SALAH NASRAWI

Associated Press Writer

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Leaders of Iraq's sharply divided Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis called Monday for a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in the country and said Iraq's opposition had a ``legitimate right'' of resistance.

The final communique, hammered out at the end of three days of negotiations at a preparatory reconciliation conference under the auspices of the Arab League, condemned terrorism, but was a clear acknowledgment of the Sunni position that insurgents should not be labeled as terrorists if their operations do not target innocent civilians or institutions designed to provide for the welfare of Iraqi citizens.

The participants in Cairo agreed on ``calling for the withdrawal of foreign troops according to a timetable, through putting in place an immediate national program to rebuild the armed forces ... control the borders and the security situation'' and end terror attacks.

The conference was attended by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Iraqi Shiite and Kurdish lawmakers, as well as leading Sunni politicians.

<snip>

On Monday, Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Jabr suggested U.S.-led forces should be able to leave Iraq by the end of next year, saying the one-year extension of the mandate for the multinational force in Iraq by the U.N. Security Council this month could be the last.

``By the middle of next year we will be 75 percent done in building our forces and by the end of next year it will be fully ready,'' he told the Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera.

Debate in Washington over when to bring troops home turned bitter last week after decorated Vietnam War vet Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., called for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, and estimated a pullout could be complete within six months. Republicans rejected Murtha's position.

In Egypt, the final communique's attempt to define terrorism omitted any reference to attacks against U.S. or Iraqi forces. Delegates from across the political and religious spectrum said the omission was intentional. They spoke anonymously, saying they feared retribution.

``Though resistance is a legitimate right for all people, terrorism does not represent resistance. Therefore, we condemn terrorism and acts of violence, killing and kidnapping targeting Iraqi citizens and humanitarian, civil, government institutions, national resources and houses of worships,'' the document said.

The final communique also stressed participants' commitment to Iraq's unity and called for the release of all ``innocent detainees'' who have not been convicted by courts. It asked that allegations of torture against prisoners be investigated and those responsible be held accountable.

The statement also demanded ``an immediate end to arbitrary raids and arrests without a documented judicial order.''

<snip>

The gathering was part of a U.S.-backed league attempt to bring the communities closer together and assure Sunni Arab participation in a political process now dominated by Iraq's Shiite majority and large Kurdish minority.
<snip>

wrong link to actual article

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5431131,00.html

1) The Iraqi's telling us to leave
2) Declaring the Insurgents not to be terrorists - which is huge for the definition of terrorists in this country and a blow to the (un)Patriot Act

Once the Iraqi voice is loud enough demanding our withdrawl buscho has no options left, period. Can't blame partisan politics on that one.

This is very encouraging. Our best hope for our troops coming home is the Iraqis themselves.

Maybe now the public can hear the truth. It's about controlling the region's oil and water, and protecting the interests of the neocons.

How the Republicans can spin this will be interesting. $300BB, 2000 American lives/15,000 seriously wounded.....for what? What a monumental waste of lives, treasury, and international reputation.

Then declare victory. What the hell, there's only 26 million of them.

Did GW say that we will leave when the Govt of Iraq asks us to?

...regime change. Bush will declare that we must invade and occupy Iraq in order to prevent it from becoming a ...well....whatever. A threat to their neighbors, yeah, that's it...

The buzz-cut idiot (House of Representatives, can't recall which state) last night (or the other night?) on Hardball, said we shouldn't leave Iraq until all the insurgents are dead...What does he mean?...Insurgents (by definition) are the residents, does he mean killing all the Iraqi's or all the males between 14 years and 65years old, or what? What was he talking about with his killing all the insurgents bull? It sounds to me like he wants to do what they did in Falujah, in the whole of Iraq...

`an immediate end to arbitrary raids and arrests without a documented judicial order.''

Out with it! Who was it?! Somebody intimated to the Iraqis that they could be self-governing, and now look what's happened! They're thinking they can run their own affairs, and Lil George and his henchmen aren't done stealing their oil! What a mess.

Looks like it's time to show Baghdad who's really in charge in the Middle East.

denounce al Z and al Q. and agree to renounce all violence, period. They would be better off in joining the new Govt. and running for various political offices. This would calm the fears of those who insist that a major Civil War would insue if the US/UK Occupation ended. It seems that the US/UK Forces will pull out in a major way by mid '06. A consensus of this is building with the Repubs, Dems in the US, the UK Govt. and the Iraqi Govt.

This would never have happened if Cheney and Rumsfeld were still alive....

In the future please limit your snips of articles to 4
paragraphs as per the Democratic Underground copyright
rules .

proud patriot Moderator
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