"Karzai willing to talk to Taliban"

[Clio the Leo]

I know, I know a symbolic gesture. I realize Karzai has his own problems and I also know that Mullah Omar rejected Karzai's last offer to talk, but the journey of a thousand steps.....

AP Interview: Karzai willing to talk to Taliban
By KATHY GANNON (AP) 12/3/09

KABUL — Afghanistan's president says he's willing to talk with the Taliban chief in a bid to bring peace to the country.

President Hamid Karzai said in an interview Thursday with The Associated Press that he would do "whatever it takes" to bring peace, including meeting with Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

But Karzai says he wants guarantees that the U.S. and its international partners are backing any peace bid. He says previous efforts at talks with the Taliban were undermined when ex-members of the hard-line movement were "harassed" by international forces even though they had quit the insurgency.

Karzai says not all Taliban are terrorists but members of al-Qaida and other terror groups are not welcome in the country.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hzuTa9vGb4PWSdViWjIIOD9IEKGwD9CBT1H03

And of course I realize it's a bit odd to expect Mullah Omar to sit down at the table of peace when the world's largest empire just announced its intention to rain holy terror upon his head, so if anyone wanted to defend the leader of the Taliban, I suppose they're well within their right to do so. ;)

[Kolesar]

1. I know it is "dry humor"

but I don't follow your last clause. Could you put a finer point on it?

[Clio the Leo]

2. It was inevitable....

... that someone was going to say, "why should he sit down at the table of peace when we're about start shooting at him."

I thought I'd save them the trouble. ;)

[wileedog]

3. I would think that would be just about the best time to sit down

at the table, before 30,000 more people start shooting at you.

[Clio the Leo]

4. yeah, but I dont think anyone ever accused Mullah Omar of using reason. NT

[wileedog]

5. Heh, good point. nt

[Kolesar]

10. "What do you want on your tombstone?"

...And the choices aren't mushrooms or pepperoni.

[ClarkUSA]

6. Hmm... what a coincidence, given there were high-level talks yesterday with the U.S. ambassador

I do believe President Obama has a hand in this sudden change of "heart". :)

"A surge of extra forces could undercut the insurgency in six months since many of the Taliban were ready to negotiate and could be persuaded to swap sides with a concerted effort, he said."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=34387&mesg_id=34387

[Clio the Leo]

7. And Secy Gates said the magic words this morning....

.... at the Foreign Relations Committee Hearing... "the Taliban charges really high taxes to the people of Afghanistan whom they control." ;)

Effectively, we're about to offer the average Afghani farmer a tax break.

[ClarkUSA]

9. Heh.

Gates has a way with words. :)

[Oregone]

8. Maybe they could team up and steal elections together

[smalll]

11. Ooh, ooh! I know why Mullah Omar might want to sit down at the table of peace!

Because "the world's largest empire just announced its intention to rain holy terror upon his head." Nothing like a little holy terror to focus the mind!

[thereismore]

12. Sounds good to me. I hope 30,000 is a number that can bring Mullah to Karzai. nt

[Flaneur]

13. This isn't going to sit well with those DUers who want to save Afghanistan...

...from the Taliban. Is it?

[ConservativeDemocrat]

14. No, but it will sit well with DUers who want to reduce Al Qaeda's ability to attack the U.S. N/T

[maxsolomon]

15. i don't want those medieval misogynists back in control

but i think it's a fine idea to talk to them. it's realistic.

[jberryhill]

16. Talking is never a bad idea /nt