Iraq Press Roundup

Shebab Al Iraq Newspaper carried an editorial Wednesday with the headline: "The National Reconciliation guarantees security achievements in Iraq."

It said the national reconciliation conference that began Tuesday was important because it represents "determination to continue the national reconciliation project initiated by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki."

It said, "Al-Maliki insists on achieving the national reconciliation in spite of the obstacles being confronted, proof of the need for reconciliation."

It said consistency of efforts to achieve this important step gives people on the ground in Iraq hope.

U.S. forces released 266 Iraqi "detainees" as an attempt to facilitate national reconciliation; releasing prisoners is one of the main demands from Sunni politicians. About 9,000 Iraqi prisoners have been released since January 2008.

However, there is no consideration of what the 9,000 released Iraqis will be involved in as there are no jobs available to them and they can't go back to their old jobs.

Many of the more than 8,000 who were released in 2007 were recruited by U.S. forces to "work hand in hand" with the United States against al-Qaida forming the so-called Awakening Councils regardless of their background or the fact many attacked and resisted U.S. forces over the past four years.

Shebab Al Iraq newspaper said the national reconciliation conference was held amid a noticeable improvement in security and a decrease in violence.

"The United Nations, through its representative Stefan De Mistura, assured the improvement of the security situation yet pointed out that Iraqi leaders are not doing enough to reserve the security achievements which can be gained through a political progress and offering better services to the citizens of Iraq," it commented.

The editorial said this important message from the United Nations is addressing the fact that without reconciliation among political opponents, security, political and economic progress will be threatened.

"It is essential to mention that the last five years have proved to the powers in Iraq that there is no solution except reconciliation and that conflict among politicians will lead to civil war whose winners are extremists," it said.

The paper added that more flexibility among Iraqi leaders was the main step in order to reach an accord for reconciliation.

"In order for the national reconciliation to reach its goals, all Iraqi powers must attend the conferences because no matter how complicated disputes are, dialogue is the way forward," it added.