Iraq Resists Pleas by U.S. to Placate Baath Party

The NY Times ^ | April 25, 2009 | SAM DAGHER

[forkinsocket]

BAGHDAD — On April 18, American and British officials from a secretive unit called the Force Strategic Engagement Cell flew to Jordan to try to persuade one of Saddam Hussein’s top generals — the commander of the final defense of Baghdad in 2003 — to return home to resume efforts to make peace with the new Iraq.

But the Iraqi commander, Lt. Gen. Raad Majid al-Hamdani, rebuffed them.

After a year of halting talks mediated by the Americans, he said, he concluded that Iraq’s leader, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, simply was not interested in reconciliation.

The American appeal — described by General Hamdani and not previously reported — illustrates what could become one of the biggest obstacles to stability in Iraq. Mr. Maliki’s pledges to reconcile with some of the most ardent opponents of his government have given way to what some say is a hardening sectarianism that threatens to stoke already simmering political tensions and rising anger over a recent spate of bombings aimed at Shiites.

On March 28, Mr. Maliki’s Shiite-led government arrested a prominent Sunni leader on charges of heading a secret armed wing of Mr. Hussein’s Baath Party. A week later, the prime minister accused Baathists of orchestrating car bombings that killed more than 40 people. On Monday, he lashed out again, saying the Baath Party was “filled with hate from head to toe.”

[forkinsocket]

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[HiTech RedNeck]

That’s what I call taking a Baath.

[Lurker]

The Baath Party was designed along the lines of the German Nazi Party. It shouldn’t be ‘reconciled’ with. It should be destroyed.

[tet68]

Shouldn’t this be titled...

Obams extends open hand to Baathists?

[lowbridge]

bump

[Grammar Nazi]

No, the Bush Administration also advocated this kind of rapprochement (which, to be clear, I don't think is a bad thing).

"Early last year, under intense American pressure, Mr. Maliki pushed through Parliament a law to ease restrictions on the return of Baath Party members to public life. But 15 months later, the law has yet to be put into effect."

[forkinsocket]

Me either, you know there’s a saying, “The Ba3th party out of power is worse than the Ba3th in power”. Meaning that they are champions of outside machinations & intrigue that can be deadly, so it’s good to keep an eye on them I guess.