Saudi spy chief brokers secret Afghan-Taliban talks
February 14, 2009 2 Comments
By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS| intelNews.org |
British daily The Independent reports that the Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai is now involved for the first time in direct secret talks with the Taliban. The negotiations are mediated by Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a senior member of the Saudi Royal family, who heads Saudi Arabia’s main intelligence directorate, the Re’asat Al Istikhbarat Al A’amah (a.k.a. General Intelligence Presidency, GIP). Prince Muqrin, who knew Osama bin Laden personally in the 1970s and 1980s, has supervised the negotiations since last December, when envoys of the Afghan government and the Taliban insurgency met in the Kingdom during the Muslim observance of Ramadan. The Independent identifies the Afghan government’s envoy as Abdul Hakim Mujahid, a former New York representative of the Taliban government, who was later invited by President Karzai to work with the US-installed regime. The clandestine envoy of the Taliban insurgents is said to be Aga Jan (not “Aghajan”, as the paper erroneously spells his name) Mutasim, a former Afghan government minister during the Taliban rule, who escaped to Pakistan following the 2001 US invasion. The British newspaper notes that the two envoys’ meetings have increased in frequency and intensity since the inauguration of US President Barack Obama, who has pledged to increase US military involvement in Afghanistan. Mr. Obama’s stated intentions have apparently disquieted the Afghan President, who is concerned that the “prospect of a rising toll of civilian casualties” caused by the planned US military offensive would hinder peace prospects in the country. He is therefore said to be “prepared for direct dialogue with the insurgent [Taliban] leadership”, the paper reports.
That is true, Karzai has made offers repeatdly to bring the Taliban into the central goverment. This is a postive devoplment.
The Body count of an Afghan War that the Taliban Brings Home, would destroy them[Taliban] too. The Afghan Public is poised to Go around the Fighting and escape the Taliban’s Destruction, unless the Taliban would try to use them for Body Shields again. The Public is enjoying the Income from The American and N.A.T.O. Presence there. The Taliban have incentives, to Join the Karzai Government. As well as Denounce Terrorist Activity too. Thus Buying Back Our old Alliances with them from The Cold-War.