Iraqi PM Calls For Reconciliation With Saddam Supporters

BAGHDAD — In an overture to Sunnis, Iraq's prime minister called on Iraqis on Friday to reconcile with former supporters of Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated regime who have been shunned by the Shiite government that rose to power after the U.S. invasion.

The call by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, made in a speech to leaders of a Shiite tribe, appears aimed at making political inroads in Sunni areas that gave his allies little support in the Jan. 31 provincial elections.

"We should reconcile with those who made mistakes, who are forced and obliged at one time to be on the side of the former regime during a time of hardship in Iraq's history," al-Maliki said. "We must reconcile but on condition that they turn back to Iraq, and turn the dark page of Iraq's past history."

Al-Maliki, who had a reputation as a Shiite hard-liner when he came to power in 2006, said it was time "to let go what happened" in the past.

U.S. officials have been pressing Iraq's leaders for years to reconcile the country's rival ethnic and religious groups _ a campaign that has taken on new urgency now that the U.S. has agreed to withdraw all its troops by the end of 2011.

But the country's bitter history has made the task difficult, all the more so because of the vicious Sunni-Shiite slaughter of 2006 and 2007.

Many Shiites suffered under Saddam and resent moves toward reconciliation with supporters of the old regime. Many Sunnis remain distrustful of the Shiite-dominated government.

The purge from the civil service of thousands of former members of Saddam's Baath party and the U.S. decision to abolish the Saddam-era Iraqi army are widely believed to have fueled the Sunni insurgency that erupted in 2003.

Sunni politicians welcomed al-Maliki's remarks as a good beginning toward reconciliation but said they wanted tangible steps _ including a sweeping amnesty for insurgents and abolition of laws which ban thousands of Baathists from holding elected office and government jobs.

"We support any official who works to achieve reconciliation to wipe out the bad memories of the past," prominent Sunni lawmaker Dhafer al-Ani told The Associated Press. "Al-Maliki's call is a good thing but it should associated with actions."

The prime minister's call appeared to be part of his campaign to shore up political support ahead of parliamentary elections expected by the end of the year.

Al-Maliki's allies scored a sweeping victory in Shiite areas during the January balloting but fared poorly in Sunni provinces. The results reflected the gulf between Sunnis and Shiites despite the drop in violence.

Also, al-Maliki may well have to turn to Sunni parties for political support because of deep strains between the prime minister and his longtime Shiite and Kurdish allies in the coalition that has dominated Iraqi politics since U.S.-led forces ousted Saddam's regime in 2003.

Kurdish leaders are angry with al-Maliki because of his demand for greater powers at the expense of the Kurds' self-ruled region in the north. The main Shiite party wants to take the prime minister's position from al-Maliki and also has an interest in weakening his position.

Al-Maliki's comments were made during a meeting to discuss establishing tribal councils to advise local governments.

The prime minister's Shiite and Kurdish critics strongly oppose the councils, considering them an instrument to bolster al-Maliki's stature ahead of the parliamentary balloting.

Al-Maliki said the tribal councils were the cornerstone of rebuilding the country and its laws, adding that the councils help partner tribes with the Iraqi government.

"It is not fanaticism to see someone supportive of his tribes. Rather the fanaticism arises when someone prefers the wrong acts of his tribe to the righteous acts of others," al-Maliki said.

He said if Iraqis put up a united front, this would deter insurgents and criminals, including those who come to Iraq from abroad.

Violence in Iraq has dropped dramatically in the past 18 months, though Iraq's security forces are attacked almost daily.

On Friday, a roadside bomb exploded near a police checkpoint in Mishahda, 20 miles north of Baghdad, killing two policemen and wounding three others, said an Iraqi police official. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

In northern Iraq, a roadside bomb exploded in Tikrit, killing two people, another police official said.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity for the same reason, said it was unclear whether the car was targeted by the bomb or whether it was transporting the bomb.

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Associated Press Writer Sameer N. Yacoub contributed to this report.