I don't quite know what to make of this, but it's being reported in Monday's Al Jazeera and soon to be in Time Magazine. If it's going to be in Time Magazine, then these must be "secret talks" that the Pentagon wants broadcast to America.
Pentagon 'in talks' with anti-US fighters
Monday 21 February 2005, 4:01 Makka Time, 1:01 GMT US diplomats and intelligence officers are
conducting secret talks with Iraq's anti-US fighters to bring about a negotiated settlement.
Citing unidentified Pentagon and Iraqi sources, Time Magazine reported on Sunday that the US is using "back-channel" communications with certain groups.The Bush administration had said it would not negotiate with Iraqi fighters and there is no authorised dialogue. The magazine cited a secret meeting
between two members of the US military and an Iraqi negotiator, a middle-aged former member of Saddam Hussein's government and the senior representative of what he called the nationalist insurgency. A US officer tried to get names of other leaders while the Iraqi complained the new Shia-dominated government was being controlled by Iran, according to an account of the meeting provided by the Iraqi negotiator. "We are ready to work with you," the Iraqi negotiator said, according to Time.
Leaders of anti-US Iraqi groups told the weekly
several nationalist groups composed of what the Pentagon calls "former regime elements" have become open to negotiating. Their aim was to establish a political identity that can represent disenfranchised Iraqis. The White House had no immediate comment on the report.
When asked about the contacts, Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a member of both the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees, said it was important to "reach out" in Iraq.
<snip>
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/12A74E3A-CAD5-4564-8C9A-15BDA842E7AC.htm
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
