Khalilzad Advice For Democracy: Don't Take Matters Into Your Own Hands

…Before today, the priority was to engage the Sunni Arab community -- including the rejectionists -- and get it to buy into the political process. … To assist in this transition and improve the capacity of local governments, we are building up our presence in the provinces to work with local institutions. … the next National Assembly will have the opportunity to amend the constitution,…. … These steps will create the needed conditions to achieve our goal of inducing Iraqi rejectionists and insurgents to abandon violence…. …Success in Iraq will advance American interests and values. It is a linchpin in the needed transformation of the broader Middle East, which is the defining challenge of our time.

Zalmay Khalilzad, “After the Elections,” Washington Post, 12/15/05.

I do. I have good relations with [Ahmed Chalabi]. I've known Ahmed for a very long time, since the early 1990s. Yes, I do have good relations with him.

…If [Sunnis] don't get disappointed, I think this could be a very positive development that over time could result in isolating the terrorists and reducing the violence here.

…Well, those that we know have directly participated in killing Americans, have committed crimes against Iraqi people, we will not deal with those and meet with those. But in a broad term, only two groups, the terrorists and their associates, the Zarqawi folks and the jihadists and the Saddamists, are the ones that we will not negotiate with.

But others,…we're willing to talk to, we're willing to deal with their legitimate concerns, we're willing to facilitate their participation in the political process and encourage them to seek a resolution of disputes, to seek the pursuing of their interests through the political process.

…a total withdrawal…will, in fact, result in several negative things to happen. One, there could be a Shia-Sunni civil war that could engulf the entire region. The Kurds, the scenario you talked about before, taking matters into their own hands, is another possibility. And a little mini state a la Talibastan in Afghanistan, in cooperation with Al Qaida, could take place in part of Iraq.

There is a better way, one in which there is increased political participation, bringing the Sunnis in, building up Iraqi forces, and incrementally decreasing the size and mission of U.S. forces, adjusting downward. And I think that's a better way than a rapid withdrawal without those other circumstances that I talked about being in place.

… I could tell the American people -- I would like to tell them that we're working very hard to shift the emphasis from a military solution to the problem to a political-military solution in which the military is a smaller and smaller part of the approach, because this conflict will not resolved by military means alone.

The role of politics will increase, the role of military will decline.

… Iraq is going through a difficult transition. There are internal issues, but also, Iraq is part of a regional environment where there is at least one predatory, hegemonic state, Iran, seeking to dominate the area. … to build a democracy here is very important. It can have a significant effect on the future of the whole region. Iraq itself is important. This region as a whole is vital. So therefore, what we're doing here can have a significant effect on the future of the world. …The things that we're doing here normally would take a very long time, generations.

… Wolf, as you know, psychological warfare, information warfare, propaganda, what have you, is part of the military doctrine dating back to the earliest days of warfare. So I'm not surprised that there has been an effort to place stories that could have a positive effect in terms of our military and negative effect with regard to the terrorists and those who are opposed to our military. …We do have programs to strengthen the Iraqi press, training journalists among other things.

… this is an Iraqi process. Iraq has the right to run the process in Iraq. We're helping it. There are criticisms. Some would like to decide on his fate immediately. There are many cases left. We have been helping Iraq make sure there is a due process and that it is a transparent process.

CNN “Late Editon” With Wolf Blitzer. Interview with Zalmay Khalilzad, 12/11/05.

…Iraqis deserve an election that is free from intimidation and violence.

…We denounce the recent killing of campaign workers in Mosul, Basra, Baghdad, and elsewhere, as well as the attacks in Najaf and Dahuk. These actions are assaults on democracy and attempts to deny Iraqis the freedom to vote their conscience.

These incidents have taken place alongside unacceptable acts of vandalism. Some even think they can bribe citizens to change their votes. Bribes and attacks should not impact the elections, whether or not damage is done or money is pocketed. The ballots are confidential and every vote is secret. The Iraqi people have the future of their country in their hands.

Those who are behind these attacks and attempts at fraud endanger their place in a democratic Iraq. In the end, we hope and believe their actions will backfire. Iraqi citizens will stand up to those who would intimidate them and vote for those who can bring them a better future.

The eyes of the world are on Iraq as this election moves forward, and the actions of these parties will be judged not only by Iraqis but also by the community of democratic nations. I call on all political parties to condemn acts of intimidation and support a peaceful, free and fair election on December 15. May God bless the people of Iraq.

U.S. Envoy to Iraq Condemns Pre-election Violence, Fraud. 12/09/05

…The next assembly will have the opportunity to pass more than 50 critical implementation laws as called for by the new Constitution. The next assembly will have the opportunity to decide on amendments to the Constitution. The next assembly will review the implementation of the de-Baathification decisions made. And, among other things, the next assembly will develop a strategy for developing Iraq's oil and gas resources.

… In the United States, our candidates from both major political parties spend millions of dollars every election season to get their message out, debate each other and challenge each other with regard to the future.

… The security situation in Iraq makes it difficult for candidates to get out to do “door to door” campaigning like we do in America, but I urge the candidates to present their plans to solve the problems of the Iraqi people.

… Let me be clear, the United States is not backing any particular candidate in this election. We will work with whatever government the Iraqi people choose. The future of Iraq is in the hands of the people of Iraq.

Ambassador Khalilzad Says U.S. Will Work With Government Chosen By Iraqi People. Speech, Baghdad, Iraq, 12/06/05.