Amnesty for insurgents considered

US and Iraqi officials are considering difficult-to-swallow ideas — including amnesties for their enemies — as they look for ways to end the country’s rampant insurgency and isolate extremists wanting to start a civil war.

Negotiations have just begun between US and Iraqi officials on drafting an amnesty policy, which would reach out to Iraqi militants fighting US forces, say officials in both the Iraqi and American governments.

But foreign extremists like Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, responsible for Iraq’s bloodiest attacks, would not be offered any amnesty, the Iraqi and US authorities said.