WP: U.S. Talks With Iraqi Insurgents Confirmed

[kskiska]

Goal Is Sunnis' Political Inclusion, Rumsfeld Says

Monday, June 27, 2005; A01

The U.S. military in Iraq has been holding face-to-face meetings with some Iraqi leaders of the insurgency there, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the U.S. commander in charge of Iraq confirmed yesterday.

The talks are part of the military's revised campaign to drive a wedge between the Iraqi and foreign insurgents, according to U.S. commanders. Pentagon officials have acknowledged the new strategy but have not, until now, spoken openly about efforts to make contact with some Iraqi insurgent leaders.

Asked to respond to a report that U.S. military representatives had meetings with several Sunni Iraqi insurgents twice in June, Rumsfeld told Fox News that "there have probably been many more than that" and described the contacts as an effort to "split people off and get some people to be supportive" of the political process in Iraq.

Other parts of the U.S. government, including the State Department and CIA, have also been holding secret meetings with Iraqi insurgent factions in an effort to stop the violence and coax them into the political process, according to U.S. government officials and others who have participated in the efforts.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/26/AR2005062600096.html

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Paris talks anyone?

[Jacobin]

10. The exact same thought hit me when I saw that headline

so, who's the IraqNam Dr. Kissinger, I wonder?

[bluestateguy]

2. And yet somehow WE are the appeasers

I'm sure the little peckers from PNAC will soon put out a statement calling this an example of enlightened statesmanship.

[warrens]

3. Negotiating with terraists, negotiating with terraists!

Plaster that baby everywhere you can. I bet any thread at FRetard City gets pulled as fast as it's put up.

[acmavm]

4. Why, when we are cutting up and passing out the assets of the country,

do I somehow think that these 'talks' (if they really are going on) are going to end up with us calling the shots? Or coming out on top? Or slowing down the 'insurgency'?

If these clowns in Washington say that the is shining you can probably be it's midnight. Not one word from them has been true, not one. They have to hold the record for mass lying by a corrupt regime.

[Julius Civitatus]

5. Aaaaahhhh... did they offer their UNDERSTANDING and suggest THERAPY?

Dis they think of bringing maybe some indictments? Did they hold hands with them "terrists" and sing Kumbaya? What would Rove say to all this?

The hypocrisy of these people knows no bounds.

[rateyes]

6. Let me see if I've got this straight.

We've been hearing from the administration that these insurgents are terrorists. So, are we now NEGOTIATING WITH TERRORISTS?

Edit to add: It would do well for the U.S. to learn some things about the differences between the Sunnis and the Shiites. We have installed a government in Iraq that has a majority of people who have traditionally been the enemies of the U.S.

IMO, they are talking with the insurgents, because we need them to keep a check on the majority in that new government. If I'm not mistaken, both Iran and Iraq are now controlled by the Shiites.
Bush has bitten off more than he can chew---and our nation is choking on it.

God help us.

[jaxx]

7. Dubya dealing with terrorists.......

one more of his proclamations bites the dust. If he was smart he's keep his mouth shut, but he's such an egotist, he has to always put out the smart ass comments to make him look tough. Instead one by one, they make him look like the liar he is.

By the way.......I think rummy is getting senile. Too many things he goofs up on lately. Scary thought.

[Doctor_J]

8. We're negotiating with terrorists?

Let's think, what would have happened if Clinton had done this?

[dbt]

9. This CAN'T be a kick.

Because Dear Leader says, ever so firmly and decisively, that we do not "nugoshate with turrists."

None dare call it Flip-Flop!

:rofl:

[Warren Stupidity]

11. Disinformation or negotiated withdrawal?

Why would the administration freely admit to 'negotiatiing with terrsts and surgeons'?

They say and do nothing by accident. If there were real negotiations they would not be talking about them.

So what is going on: psy war against the terrsts and surgeons. We are holding discussions with 'some' of the insurgent groups. Oh great, so now all of the insurgent groups are supposed to run around wondering which of the other groups are collaborating with the enemy, each group knowing that it sure as heck wasn't them. This is classic divide and conquer bullshit.