7 Lesser Iraq Insurgent Groups Seek Truce

[sabra]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4001832.html

7 Lesser Iraq Insurgent Groups Seek Truce

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Seven Sunni Arab insurgent groups have contacted the government to declare their readiness to join in efforts at national reconciliation, a key Shiite legislator said Monday.

The seven lesser groups, most of them believed populated by former members or backers of Saddam Hussein's government, military or security agencies, have said they want a truce, Hassan al-Suneid, a lawmaker and member of the political bureau of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Dawa Party, told The Associated Press.

The contact by the insurgent organizations, which could not be independently verified, would mark an important potential shift and stand as evidence of a growing divide between Iraqi insurgents and the more brutal and ideological fighters of al-Qaida in Iraq, who are believed to mainly be non-Iraqi Islamic militants.

Al-Maliki was considering a possible meeting with leaders of the groups or contacts through intermediaries, al-Suneid said.

He identified only six of the seven organizations by name, listing them as the al-Ashreen Brigades, the Mohammed Army, Abtal al-Iraq (Heroes of Iraq), the 9th of April Group, al-Fatah Brigades, the Brigades of the General Command of the Armed Forces.

[grytpype]

1. What about the Judean People's Front?

Sorry, the People's Front of Judea! (Splitter!)

[ECH1969]

2. These groups represent the bulk of the Baathist resistance

The Mohammed Army certainly is a big one. But, none of them are as big and as violent as al-Qaeda in Iraq or Ansar al-Sunna.

[necso]

3. If true, good.

Some deal should be made; the violence should stop; and order should be restored. Then reconstruction can proceed without outrageous "security" costs -- and under much closer scrutiny.

And we can leave -- and pretend like something worth-the-price came of our effort.

[Teaser]

4. Unfortunately, these groups aren't terribly significant

the truly hard core groups have already rejected the overture, sad to say, and these guys don't carry significant clout with them.
Since the agenda for the bulk of the resistance is a decidedly sectarian one, there is little that can be done to draw them into the political process
with the shiites who they consider an illegitimate governement anyway.

Furthermore, this is almost certainly an exagerration of the 7 groups positions. The Iraq government has repeatedly lied and bent the truth on almost every issue of public governance regarding the insurgency. It is not in their interest to not give the rosiest interpretation possible.