Maliki appealed Saturday for Iraqis to cast aside their sectarian, ethnic and political differences and embrace his national reconciliation plan. The appeal came as Iraqi security forces announced they will dig trenches around Baghdad in an attempt to prevent insurgents and explosive-laden cars from getting into the sprawling city of 6 million people. The U.S. military confirmed Saturday that there was a plan in progress to create a «security belt» around the capital «There is a plan in progress for a security belt around Baghdad that includes trenches and other obstacles for channeling exit from and entry to the city through checkpoints controlled by Iraqi forces. This is a cooperative effort between the Iraqi government and the Coalition,» said Lt Col. Barry Johnson, a spokesman for Multinational Forces in Iraq, according to a report of the Associated Press. The Baghdad anti-terror trenches are intended to curb attacks such as the two suicide car bombings Saturday morning that killed at least 11 people and wounded 20 more. Police also found six bodies strewn around the city. «No one should be part of the national reconciliation plan unless they recognize others, accept them partners and totally rejects any sectarian, ethnic or political differences,» al-Maliki told a gather of Iraqi non-governmental organizations.
