Of note.
I. A clearly frustrated Karzai complained that the coalition’s hunt for Taliban militants was killing hundreds of Afghans, saying that “is not acceptable.” More than 600 people, mostly militants, have been killed in recent weeks as insurgents have launched their deadliest campaign of violence in years.
“I strongly believe … that we must engage strategically in disarming terrorism by stopping their sources of supply of money, training, equipment and motivation,” Karzai said at a news conference.
“It is not acceptable for us that in all this fighting, Afghans are dying. In the last three to four weeks, 500 to 600 Afghans were killed. (Even) if they are Taliban, they are sons of this land,” he added.
II.
The Iraqi government will present a national reconciliation plan to parliament tomorrow that would grant some insurgents amnesty and ask for approval of a series of steps for Iraqis to take over security from US troops, according to a key politician and a draft of the document.
The plan proposes a general pardon for thousands of prisoners who are determined not to have committed “crimes and clear terrorist actions.”
The government already has been pardoning groups of such prisoners and releasing them by the hundreds in recent months.
The plan promises to open a review of the new constitution to address demands made by Sunni Arabs, while attempting to find a way to eradicate sectarian militias. It also pledges to shield the crucial Defense and Interior ministries from outside political influence.
It is their nations. At the end of the day, they have to live with one another, and have to navigate their own frustrations against each other. Of course they have to reconcile and “mainstream” your militant forces into your fledgling governments! I hear a certain amount of outrage in liberal sphere of talk about the granting of amnesty to Iraqi insurgents — who have, by definition, killed American soldiers, and there is a bit of talk on the Senate floor from Republicans — sometimes with bad historical parallels, that such a thing is necessary. I take it be a bit false, and wonder if the political parties in the United States were reversed, the talk would be reversed.