Egypt Proposes Iraq Cease-Fire

[jmc247]

Source: AP

Egypt wants an international conference on Iraq this week to call for a three-month cease-fire between Iraqi forces and insurgents, according to a draft resolution. But Iraq strongly objected to the idea on Monday.

The Egyptian proposal was the latest source of division between Iraq and its Arab neighbors. It implicitly treats the Shiite-led Iraqi government and the Sunni-led insurgency as equals, and an Iraqi diplomat said Monday that Baghdad rejected the idea.

An Iraqi official close to diplomatic discussions of the resolutions said the Egyptian proposal was a nonstarter.

"This is not a good idea. How can we have a cease-fire with terrorists?" said the Iraqi diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/30/AR2007043001472.html

[struggle4progress]

1. "Peace? An end to violence? Who could possibly want that?"

said the nameless Iraqi diplomat as he finished packing the dollars in his suitcase and left the country hurriedly

[ohio2007]

2. A three month cease fire ?

Cease fire is requested when one group is squeezed into a point of collapse. Terrorists seem to be doing well,all things considered.

Can't see them being boxed in anytime soon with our announced troop reductions.

As for the Sunni minority, the sticking point seems to be this from the article ;

Arab nations want the Iraqi government to take concrete steps to better incorporate the Sunnis into the government and military, including changing the constitution and ending the system for purging former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party ....

they are worried a coup would follow imo.