US commander signals peace talks with Taliban - "There's been enough fighting"

[bigtree]

US commander signals peace talks with Taliban

Gen Stanley McChrystal told the UK's Financial Times that there had been "enough fighting" and he wanted a political solution to the conflict.

"I'd like everybody to walk out of London with a renewed commitment, and that commitment is to the right outcome for the Afghan people," Gen McChrystal said.

"As a soldier, my personal feeling is that there's been enough fighting," Gen McChrystal told the Financial Times.

"I believe that a political solution to all conflicts is the inevitable outcome. And it's the right outcome," he said.

read: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8478076.stm


UN: lift sanctions on Taliban to build peace in Afghanistan

Kai Eide, special representative of the UN Secretary-General, told The Daily Telegraph he would also like to see a person-by-person review of detainees held in the Bagram American military prison to see if prisoners could be released.

He said: "I really do believe that the reintegration process by itself is not enough. It has to be a parallel political process.

"I think the time has come to initiate some confidence building measures in order to see if it's possible to create some momentum in that political process at the strategic level.

"One is the delisting from the sanctions list. To start on a person-by-person basis to take people off that list, to get that process going, I think that would have an important psychological effect and it would have a political effect."

read: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7067537/UN-lift-sanctions-on-Taliban-to-build-peace-in-Afghanistan.html


Pakistan reaching out to Afghan Taliban

ISLAMABAD, Jan 23 (Reuters) - U.S. ally Pakistan is reaching out to "all levels" of the Afghan Taliban in a bid to encourage reconciliation in its war-torn neighbour, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

U.S. President Barack Obama has said a political solution was needed to stabilize Afghanistan and has emphasized that success would not be possible without the support of Pakistan.

"We are trying to reach out to them at all levels and all of us would like that our efforts should bring some results but at this point in time it is very difficult to say," ministry spokesman Abdul Basit said of Pakistan’s efforts.

We don’t want to discuss the specifics. There are efforts being made and we are trying to win over those Taliban or forces who are ’reconcilables’. Let’s see," he added.

read: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Pakistan+reaching+Afghan+Taliban/2477311/story.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. This is very good news.

I wonder what's really behind the decision to reach out for a political solution.

Have they decided the war is unwinnable militarily?

[jtuck004]

2. There has been enough fighting - but a question

Do people in the U.S. (other than the Dick Cheney fan club) care if we walk away from Bin Laden? I realize he would remain wanted, we would still have CIA and FBI after him, (presumably we are still after him), but this would make it much more problematic.


On the other hand it would end fighting that seems to be going on just because we are occupying someone else's home lands, presumably with Bin Laden as one of our major goals.

[TheWatcher]

4. Still buying the Boogeyman Theory, huh?

Which one is your favorite to live in fear of, The Fat Bin Laden, or the Skinny One?

Me, I prefer the Skinny One.

He looks SOOOOOO much more sinister.

And he's got a RAD Cave Fortress!!!!!!11111

:crazy:

[jtuck004]

8. Hah - no...

Not afraid of what might happen. Would like to see justice for what has already occurred.

His head on a pike in the town square comes to mind.

[uppityperson]

13. As you said "I realize he would remain wanted, we would still have CIA and FBI after him, (presumabl

"I realize he would remain wanted, we would still have CIA and FBI after him, (presumably we are still after him)"

[bigtree]

7. you're on to it

That U.S. 'goal' of pursuing and neutralizing bin-Laden (the specter) and associates will never be in the 'stability' interests of Afghanistan. What our troops are fighting there is mainly resistance to the occupation itself, rather than some offshoot of al-Qaeda' carrying out some order from the 9-11 fugitive terror suspects. That posture just invites a cycle of attacks and reprisals which I'm certain the general would rather not perpetuate for the sake of just fighting. Despite that it may appear the general is enamored of war, he's bound to to be weary of the killing on all sides. Besides, it's a integral part of the terror propagandists' scheme to draw American troops (and others) into endless conflict there by provoking reprisals with the attacks and bombings. At some point, we have to stop and examine our own role in perpetuating the nonsense.

[jtuck004]

9. I know

I really don't understand why more people can't see that.

[spanone]

14. walk away from bin laden? we've been using him for nine years..enough is enough

'head on a pike'

jeeebus

[TexasObserver]

3. Recommend

[Gregorian]

5. What?! That's treason. Oh, they must have another war to fight somewhere else.

Peace isn't profitable. Come on, commander.

[gratuitous]

6. A "political" solution???

Gen. McChrystal, cuttin' and runnin'! Has the Nitwit Brigade been informed?! Aaaaahhh!

As has been noted in the past, the only thing worse than ending this charade would be to dick around for another six months, or two years, or five years, and then end this charade. How many lives have been lost as we wait for the Wise People (Men) in Charge to figure this out?

[bigtree]

10. What was it all about General McChrystal?

from Veterans Today: http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/01/25/what-was-it-all-about-general-mcchrystal/


The BBC News online today is running a piece entitled US commander signals peace talks with Taliban in which we learn that General Stanley McChrystal is expecting peace to break out once our 30K troops and NATOs 7K troops get involved on the ground in Afghanistan.

No. It is not going to work that way and General McChrystal certainly knows that. There is another set of circumstances going on here. Even a blind man could see that.

The Taliban, whatever that nebulus term actually signifies to our puzzle palace princes at the Pentagon will sue for peace when they get exactly what they want. The problem for us is to determine what exactly they actually want from us now. I suspect they want us to go home. I don’t think another 37K Western troops is going to make a change in their paradigm.

You know what I think? This whole fiasco is so expensive and so incredibly minimal in return on investment now that we are going to sue for peace anyway and McChrystal knows that. So, to save face, he is saying that we will sue for peace in order to bring calm to the Af-Pak area.

We are suing for peace because events both financial and social here at home and abroad are kicking our ass.


more: http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/01/25/what-was-it-all-about-general-mcchrystal/

[gratuitous]

11. Curious . . .

I didn't notice it at first, but McChrystal offered his comments only to the BBC. I wonder why he didn't ask for some time from his pals in the popular U.S. media? They seem to be an accommodating bunch whenever a general wants to speak his piece. Why not this time, when McChrystal seems to be saying something "controversial" and "provocative," which I have been assured is the major reason they like to cover Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, John McCain and other Republican losers?

[bigtree]

12. I think these military pols get relaxed in front of the foreign media

. . . because, you're right . . . they do get scoops that our media either misses, fumbles, or ignores.

[Orsino]

15. Dicking around is exactly what we have been doing for eight years.

If dicking around a little more finally allows us political cover to withdraw, I may have to be for it. If the president can disengage our combat troops without being politically neutered as a cut-and-runner, he may find the courage to get us the fuck out.

Funny how this little item is sinking nearly without a trace compared to the much-feared escalation. I'm amazed, and frankly a little gratified. Do we seriously get to negotiate a peace now?

[gratuitous]

16. I understand your point about political neutering

But wouldn't it be nice if someday we could elevate the discourse just a smidge so that an elected official could say, "You know, we've tried eight years of a military solution, and all we have to show for it is a bunch of dead bodies on all sides. The people of Afghanistan deserve something besides just our best munitions."

[Orsino]

17. Wouldn't it be nice, indeed. n/t