February 21, 2005
WE WIN:
U.S. in Secret Talks with Iraqi Insurgents (Reuters, 2/20/05)
U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers are conducting secret talks with Iraq's Sunni insurgents on ways to end fighting there, Time magazine reported on Sunday, citing Pentagon and other sources. [...]The magazine cited a secret meeting between two members of the U.S. military and an Iraqi negotiator, a middle-aged former member of Saddam Hussein's regime and the senior representative of what he called the nationalist insurgency.
A U.S. officer tried to get names of other insurgent leaders while the Iraqi complained the new Shi'ite-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.
Iraqi insurgent leaders not aligned with al Qaeda ally Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi told the magazine several nationalist groups composed of what the Pentagon calls "former regime elements" have become open to negotiating.
The insurgents said their aim was to establish a political identity that can represent disenfranchised Sunnis.
It's a little understood truth about diplomatic negotiations that the mere act of sitting down for them means that one side has already lost. In this case, obviously, the insurgents who are looking for a way to become just another political party are acknowledging defeat. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 21, 2005 12:01 PM
mr zarqhawi, their ready for your "close up" shot now
Posted by: cjm at February 21, 2005 12:50 PMThe Ba'athists, who were in this 'insurgency', were involved solely to preserve their former position. They see that is not possible, but they have no desire to collect their 72 virgins just yet. Hence, they decide to negotiate.
With a little luck, there'll be a few more tidbits about oil-for-food for Bush to discuss with Chriac over the creme brulee.
Posted by: Bart at February 21, 2005 1:28 PMIn time we will come to see this moment as about as promising for peace as sitting down with Arafat in 1976. This is just the beginning of a long, long terror road.
These people have no intention of ever collaborating with any other power group.
Posted by: Vanderleun at February 21, 2005 2:19 PMThis is practical politics. The Ba'athists aren't the Al-Qaeda types, they were in this for the bucks. They merely wanted to preserve the privileges they had under Saddam. Now, with the Shia firmly in command of Iraq, supported by the Kurds, and with an end to the bulk of the American presence in the near future, they know that if they don't cut a deal now, the Kurds and Shia will put a bounty on their heads once the Americans and, especially, Amnesty International and CNN have moved elsewhere. In Iraq, politics far more resembles Aztec headball than beanbag. The Ba'athists are stuck, they know they're stuck and they are trying to cut their best deal.
Posted by: Bart at February 21, 2005 2:27 PMVanderleun, that doesn't make any sense. The Palestinians had demands. The IRA had demands. The Basques have demands. What demands to the Baathists have? You can't sustain a terrorist campaign without some sort of goal in mind. The Baathists have failed to meet all their goals, and now they have nothing left.
Posted by: Timothy at February 21, 2005 2:33 PM"...The insurgents said their aim was to establish a political identity that can represent disenfranchised Sunnis...."
Hmm, they should have thought of that on election day. I wouldn't offer them anything at all. Let them tell us what they're willing to do.
Posted by: Bartman at February 21, 2005 3:16 PMi don't think the shia and kurds will be as patient as the israelis, about terrorism. should the sunnis not get with the program, they will very quickly find themselves bunking with the palestinians in those luxurious un refugee camps.
that is, the ones that get out alive. and who would say boo ?
i know there have been any number of false dawns in this part of the world, but betting against gwb is a mug's game.
gerald: like your blog; that falleujah video was incredible; made me late to work today because i was watching it over and over.
Posted by: cjm at February 21, 2005 5:02 PM