A Christmas gift for the troops- Iraqi resistance offers cease fire

[Marleyb]

all we have to do is promise to leave within 6 months...Imagine...no more troops would have to die or be maimed...

This initiative enjoys the backing of all elements ( political and the non-terrorist resistance) in Iraq and represent the Arab nationalist vision of transitional solution toward a peaceful and united Iraq.

The initiative was launched by Dr. Kheir deen Haseeb the director general of t he Center of Arab Unity Studies (CAUS). He is a former Iraqi governor of the central bank and was detained and tortured by the former regime of Saddam Hussein before leaving Iraq in late 60's. He is well respected for his integrity and independence and enjoyed wide range of approval and acceptance as a patriot Iraqi and Arab nationalist. His initiative was widely discussed and shared with almost all Iraqi figures and parties opposing to the occupation and reflects their opinion.

An Iraqi National Initiative to End the Occupation of Iraq Reflecting the Will and View of the Iraqi National Resistance and the Other Major Political Forces Opposing the Occupation...

Proposed Principles for Dialogue and Agreement

1- A declaration by the American side of an unequivocal decision to withdraw fully from Iraq according to a short time-table of no more than six months. In consequence, all American, and other occupying contingents, should withdraw their forces from all Iraqi cities toward temporary and recognized military bases in agreement with the new Iraqi Government. These forces should not engage in any security or military operations during the time of their withdrawal. Furthermore, by the end of the six months period, all of these forces should have completed their withdrawal from those bases .

2- The Iraqi National Resistance will declare a ceasefire, while keeping their arms, until the final withdrawal of the American and the other national occupation forces have been completed.
http://orbstandard.com/News/Zeese/Zeese_Terms_for_Ceasefire_and_End_of_Occupation.html

[annabanana]

1. But..but..but

Won't SOMEBODY think of the OIL! It will all be left defenseless against exploitation by the Iraqi People!

[Marleyb]

2. 'we can't let the terrrrists have all that oil' George W Bush

apparently they do want control over their own resources...

"the new Iraqi Government will deal with all US and UK companies and firms on issues of the reconstruction of Iraq, oil investment, at an equal footing with other world companies and firms, without political prejudice and on the basis of the oil policy and the reconstruction program to be adopted by the new Iraqi Government."

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

3. There's also Muqtada al-Sadr's pre-election "Pact of Honour":

In the case of the recent conference, the vast array of forces that were represented and that signed the "Pact of Honor" is in itself already worthy of attention. Aside from the Sadrists, chiefly represented by their MPs, those represented and who signed the document included: SCIRI, al-Daawa (al-Jaafari's personal representative even apologized in his name for his absence due to his traveling outside of Iraq), and the Iraqi Concord Front (the major Sunni electoral alliance in the forthcoming election), to name but the most prominent of a long list of organizations, along with several tribal chiefs, unions and other social associations, members of the De-Ba'athification Committee and a few government officials. Ahmad Chalabi -- who definitely deserves to be called "The Transformer" -- attended in person and signed the document in the name of his group. It seems that the Association of Muslim Scholars did not attend, as its name is not mentioned in any of the two sources.

(...)

According to the reports, the "Pact of Honor" that was adopted consists of 14 points, among which the following demands and agreements are the most important (the sentences in quotation marks are translated from the document as quoted in the reports):

- "withdrawal of the occupiers and setting of an objective timetable for their withdrawal from Iraq"; "elimination of all the consequences of their presence, including any bases for them in the country, while working seriously for the building of security institutions and military forces within a defined schedule";
- suppression of the legal immunity of occupation troops, a demand coming with the condemnation of their practices against civilians and their breach of human rights;
- categorical rejection of the establishment of any relations with Israel;
- "resistance is a legitimate right of all peoples, but terrorism does not represent legitimate resistance"; "we condemn terrorism and acts of violence, killing, abducting and expulsion aimed at innocent citizens for sectarian reasons";
- "to activate the de-Ba'athification law and to consider that the Ba'ath party is a terrorist organization for all the tyranny it brought on the oppressed sons of Iraq, and to speed up the trial of overthrown president Saddam Hussein and the pillars of his regime";
- "to postpone the implementation of the disputed principle of federalism and to respect the people's opinion about it."

(...)

http://www.juancole.com/2005/12/guest-editorial-achcar-on-sadr.html

[EstimatedProphet]

4. Yeah, that'll fly

there's no way our side will agree to that. Our leaders have no honor.