Amnesty for insurgents

This amnesty is far more serious and offensive than any amnesty for an illegal alien. Before a sampling of some press coverage, here are a few points. 1.) The administration has often stressed the jihad/terrorist/al Qaeda element in the insurgency. I doubt Iraq would grant amnesty to them, but it should be noted that they insurgents have been labeled terrorists (as many are) by the president and vice president. 2.) Sadr's boys have repeatedly attacked Americans and Iraqis. If they aren't in the amnesty deal, there will be hell to pay.

Now the coverage.

The Financial Times:

However one of the more controversial proposals, an amnesty for suspected insurgents, was left ambiguous. The text of the plan would exclude “those involved in crimes or terrorist acts or crimes against humanity”.

Most in Iraq agree that those guilty of terror attacks against Iraqi civilians should be punished, but are divided as to whether or not those who fought Iraqi security forces should also be eligible for a pardon. Washington is also reportedly unhappy about giving its approval to a plan that could set free insurgents who targeted US troops. The plan called for building up Iraq’s security forces so foreign troops could be withdrawn, but did not spell out any timetables.

The NY Times:

(06-26) 04:00 PDT Baghdad -- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki presented a muted national reconciliation plan Sunday that outlined a general direction for his new government, but offered neither a broad amnesty for insurgents nor any new options for members of Saddam Hussein's long-ruling Baath Party, the two most heavily disputed issues.

The A.P.:

BAGHDAD -- Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, unveiled a 24-point national reconciliation initiative yesterday, offering amnesty to insurgents who renounce violence and who have not committed terror attacks.

The Los Angeles Times:

The 28-point plan, presented to parliament, includes amnesty "for those not proved to be involved in crimes, terrorist activities and war crimes against humanity," deliberately vague language hammered out over long and heated closed-door discussions involving both Iraqis and Americans.

Maliki, speaking to lawmakers packed inside the Baghdad Convention Center in the high-security Green Zone, said the plan "does not mean honoring and accepting killers and criminals." However, it calls for releasing thousands of suspected insurgents who "pledge to condemn violence and vow to back" the government. It also advocates ending rules that keep some former members of the once-ruling Baath Party out of political life, provided they haven't committed crimes.

Yes, this president is going to try for an amnesty for Iraqi insurgents that have targeted and killed Americans. That will be the end result. No doubt it will be spun as something patriotic by the morons who follow his lead.