Iraqi president opts for carrot, not stick

BAGHDAD, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Iraqi interim President Ghazi al-Yawer Thursday called for exhausting all peaceful means to settle Iraq's security problems before resorting to force.

"I always tell the government and the multinational forces, don't go to the stick, try the carrot once, twice and three times before," al-Yawer said in an interview with the Saudi daily al-Sharq al-Awsat.

In a veiled criticism of U.S. strikes against rebellious Iraqi cities, notably Fallujah, al-Yawer warned that Iraqis "cannot be subdued with the stick and we have to do our utmost to spare the spilling of Iraqi blood."

"We ought to exhaust all peaceful means because spilling blood only leads to more spilling and we should drop the language of force and pardon when possible in order to encourage the people to return to the right track," he added.

The Iraqi president underlined the possibility of delaying general elections, tentatively scheduled for January, as security conditions continue to deteriorate.

"We are working hard to meet the deadline, but the date of the elections is not something sacred that cannot be changed," he said, adding, "if we reckon that holding elections without proper security is impossible we will not hesitate to delay the polls."