Iraqi gov't directs insurgents to e-mail surrender

In a sign of the e-times, Iraq's prime minister has set up an e-mail account to communicate with insurgents.

No attachments, please.

Nouri al-Maliki had the address flashed during a broadcast Sunday night on state-run al-Iraqiya television. It was advertised as an address to which insurgents could write and be assured confidentiality.

Yeah, right.

Al-Maliki unveiled his national reconciliation plan earlier in the day, calling on insurgents to lay down their arms and offering a limited amnesty for fighters who had not committed terrorist acts or killings.

They keep saying that. But, how are they supposed to know who did and did not commit terrorist acts and killings? Are they going to institute an honor system?

Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish lawmaker and close associate of President Jalal Talabani, confirmed al-Maliki set up an e-mail account but did not have details about how many electronic messages had been received.

But Iraqi presidential security adviser Wafiq al-Samaraie said the response so far had been low, with just two messages reportedly arriving Wednesday.

The government did not repeat the address after the initial broadcast to prevent it from being flooded with junk mail.

What a joke.