Interesting. The day after PM Nouri al-Maliki introduced his plan for national reconciliation, seven insurgent groups from the Ba'athist/Nationalist side of the insurgency have reportedly contacted the Iraqi government in order to offer a truce.
The groups include the 1920 Revolution Brigades, the Muhammad Army (jaysh al-Muhammad), Abtal al-Iraq (Heroes of Iraq), the 9th of April Group, al-Fatah Brigades, and the Brigades of the General Command of the Armed Forces. The seventh group was not named by the Shi'ite legislator who says these groups are seeking the cease-fire.
The 1920 Revolution Brigades is allegedly led by Muthanna al-Dhari, son of Sheikh Harith al-Dhari, who is head of the Muslim Clerics Association, a hard-line Sunni group. Harith al-Dhari's grandfather was a leading figure in the 1920 revolution and allegedly shot the English Col. Gerard Leachman, sparking the uprising against the British in the west. I've written about jaysh al-Muhammad before, and you can read about its place in the greater insurgency.
And here's a chart from IntelCenter showing the linkages between the various groups (283KB .jpg).
As for the four other groups, I confess I don't have a lot of data on them.
Chris, What’s your take on this TimesOnline story about key insurgent leaders rejecting the amnesty offer?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2242602,00.html
Its seems only one of those groups is listed on that intel document. Most of the groups seem like Islamists, judging by the names.
Also, I’m not sure I understand how this amnesty could work if only includes insurgent groups that have committed no deadly attacks, either on US troops or Iraqis. Wouldn’t that make them, you know, not insurgent groups? I suppose its just a negotiating point, though.
The Times article is intereting.