Iraq Update 10/6/06

Last Weekend, the Iraqi Prime Minster Announced a Four Point Plan to Promote Party Unity and Ultimately End Sectarian Violence: “Prime Minister Maliki, flanked by key political parties and religious sects, signed a pledge aimed at ending internal battles that were sapping the strength of the Iraqi people and preventing the unity that this country so desperately needs.  The pledge calls for the creation of a joint committees throughout the Baghdad districts made up of clerics, tribal sheikhs, and representatives from all political blocs and the armed forces, to confront and contain violence.  The frank dialogue that went into the development of this plan shows a concerted effort by all sects to reduce the sectarian violence.  Reconciliation among Iraqis is ultimately what will quell this needless bloodshed.  This plan enables citizens on all sides to hold their security forces responsible, and to take responsibility for creating peace and tolerance within their own neighborhoods.”  (General William Caldwell, 10/4/06)

Key U.S. Senators, Returning from Delegations to the Middle East, Commented on the Plan and Progress in Iraq.

“Sen. Carl Levin [D-MI] said Tuesday that a plan endorsed by Iraq's prime minister to stop sectarian killings offers a ‘ray of hope… At least it's a bit of optimism that we leave with.” (Ken Thomas, AP, 10/3/06)

Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) "They are all committed to working together…It's always pretty good when people want to sit down and talk about their problems, instead of shooting bullets and car bombs at each other."(AP, 10/3/06)

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) ''What I expect, what I want to see and what I believe is possible is that this new Iraqi government can provide some leadership and motivation to the military and strengthen the police and they can begin to make progress…'I'm not predicting an end to violence right away.'' (Birmingham News, 10/4/06)

Sen. John Warner (R-VA) "I am convinced we need to do everything we can to maintain the stability of this government, and put all pressure that we possibly can, recognizing that they are a sovereign nation, to get them to move forward more aggressively and do the job of a government; because if that government were to fail, if Iraq would devolve into a civil war, the consequences are frightful, not just for the Iraqi people, but for the whole region, and indeed for the whole world, because it would be viewed by the terrorists as a victory," (US FED News, 10/5/06)

Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL)  “…I think, also, there's hopeful signs on the horizon. Just last night, Prime Minister Maliki announced a new arrangement, a new coalition of Shias and Sunnis coming together to try to lower the violence of Iraqis on Iraqis. And that's going to help, I think -- the political solution between those two groups -- to lower the level of violence.  There's no question that this is a dangerous place.  And, undoubtedly, our troops are doing a phenomenal job under very difficult circumstances.  But I do think there's a way forward here.  And I was encouraged by the conversations that we've had not only with our military leaders, but also with the leadership of the Iraqi government.” (MSNBC, 10/4/06)