Taliban leaders held at Guantánamo Bay to be released in peace talks deal

guardian.co.uk ^ | 1/3/12 | Julian Borger, and Jon Boone

[ColdOne]

The US has agreed in principle to release high-ranking Taliban officials from Guantánamo Bay in return for the Afghan insurgents' agreement to open a political office for peace negotiations in Qatar, the Guardian has learned.

According to sources familiar with the talks in the US and in Afghanistan, the handful of Taliban figures will include Mullah Khair Khowa, a former interior minister, and Noorullah Noori, a former governor in northern Afghanistan.

More controversially, the Taliban are demanding the release of the former army commander Mullah Fazl Akhund. Washington is reported to be considering formally handing him over to the custody of another country, possibly Qatar.

The releases would be to reciprocate for Tuesday's announcement from the Taliban that they are prepared to open a political office in Qatar to conduct peace negotiations "with the international community" – the most significant political breakthrough in ten years of the Afghan conflict.

The Taliban are holding just one American soldier, Bowe Bergdahl, a 25-year-old sergeant captured in June 2009, but it is not clear whether he would be freed as part of the deal.

"To take this step, the [Obama] administration have to have sufficient confidence that the Taliban are going to reciprocate,"

[mewzilla]

The Lockerbie bomber deal was a preview of coming attractions.....

[2nd Bn, 11th Mar]

Molon Labe and

ROLL TIDE

[NonValueAdded]

The tali-ban agrees that they are fixin’ to being to start the process of initiating negotiation and we give them everything. Brilliant! And what, pray tell, is the next step?

[NonValueAdded]

make that “fixin’ to begin ...”

[UnwashedPeasant]

According to the article, the Taliban strongly wants the new political office -- it was their idea. So why are we giving away concession? From the article:

"Right now, having a strong presence in Afghanistan, we still want to have a political office for negotiations," Mujahid [Taliban spokesman] said. "In this regard, we have started preliminary talks and we have reached a preliminary understanding with relevant sides, including the government of Qatar, to have a political office for negotiations with the international community."

"Everyone now agrees on the need for an office: the government, the foreigners and the Taliban," said Mohammed Qalamuddin, one-time head of the Taliban regime's "vice and virtue" police.

It is like Chamberlain telling Hitler that, if he is willing to accept the Sudetenland, then he could have the rest of Czechoslovakia.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Bite him but murder us.

[rockinqsranch]

“......The releases would be to reciprocate for Tuesday’s announcement from the Taliban that they are prepared to open a political office in Qatar to conduct peace negotiations “with the international community”.....”

Liars lying to liars knowing all sides are lying, therefore it’s all show.

[American in Israel]

No, this will not bite Bozo near as much as it will bite us. In the Islamic culture, peace talks are the same as surrender, they only exist to set the price.

Bush taking out Iraq and Afghanistan says that we are not ready to be terrorized, peace talks says we are. So this will cause a massive increase in terrorism inside the United States.

Funny thing is that anybody who studied in a Madressa like Barack Hussain Obama would know that. And anybody who takes on an Islamic name is someone who has given his soul to Islam.

Barry Soetro, aka, Barack Husain Obama is a traitor to America seeking to destroy this culture and subject us to slavery under Islam.

Funny that the first Black President would work so hard to enslave all Americans, black and white. Its Ironic really.

[American in Israel]

He killed Osama bin Laden(maybe) ,so he’s trying to take the targets off the backs of his family and his ownHe did not kill anyone, the Seal team did, and they were sold out and executed by the taliban. Target was never on Barry, Barry is their man!

[emax]

I cant imagine they are thrilled about going from Club Gitmo, which is so luxurious that Cubans have been caught breaking in because they would rather live as prisoners there than as Cuban citizens, back to Afghanistan.

[M Kehoe]

The US has agreed in principle to release high-ranking Taliban officials from Guantánamo Bay in return for the Afghan insurgents' agreement to open a political office for peace negotiations in Qatar, the Guardian has learned.

This will not turn out well, unless you want chaos, and mayhem.

From China's western border, to Tunisia's western border, the jihad for dar al Islam is set. Jimmah carter and his administration look competent compared to Baraq Hussein 0bama.

Mmmm, mmm, mmm...

5.56mm

[TexasTransplant]

N F W

This better be BS or our Country is truly in dire straits

[piasa]

MARCH 30, 2009 : (PAKISTAN : TALIBAN BAITULLAH MEHSUD'S PAKISTANI TALIBAN THREAT TO LAUNCH AN ATTACK IN WASHINGTON DC) Baitullah Mehsud, who has a $5 million bounty on his head from the U.S., said the Pakistan Taliban was planning a terrorist assault against Washington D.C.“Soon we will launch an attack in Washington that will amaze everyone in the world,”------“Taliban Chief Vows ‘Amazing’ Attack on Washington ‘Soon’,” AP, Tuesday, March 31, 2009, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,511740,00.html

Obama's assault on us in Washington DC has been pretty amazing, come to think of it.

[piasa]

MARCH 30, 2009 : (PAKISTAN : TALIBAN BAITULLAH MEHSUD'S PAKISTANI TALIBAN THREAT TO LAUNCH AN ATTACK IN WASHINGTON DC) Baitullah Mehsud, who has a $5 million bounty on his head from the U.S., said the Pakistan Taliban was planning a terrorist assault against Washington D.C.“Soon we will launch an attack in Washington that will amaze everyone in the world,”------“Taliban Chief Vows ‘Amazing’ Attack on Washington ‘Soon’,” AP, Tuesday, March 31, 2009, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,511740,00.html

APRIL 3, 2009 FRI : (NY : BINGHAMTON SHOOTINGS BY JIVERLY WONG / VOONG ---See BAITULLAH MEHSUD {See PAKISTAN } ) ---------- Binghamton Bloodbath: 14 Dead in Citizenship Massacre ( "I Don't Like America. America Sucks." ), nbcnewyork.com ^ | 4/4/9 | DANIEL MACHT, CAITLIN MILLAT and TAMER EL-GHOBASHY http:/www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/4-Shot-at-Civic-Association-At-Least-40-Held-Hostage.html

APRIL 4, 2009 SAT : (PAKISTAN : BLUSTERY BAITULLAH MEHSUD CHIMES IN ON BINGHAMTON NY SHOOTINGS BY JIVERLY WONG / VOONG) PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani Taliban militant leader Baituallah Mehsud claimed on Saturday responsibility for an attack on a U.S. immigration center in New York state in which 13 people were killed. "I accept responsibility. They were my men. I gave them orders in reaction to U.S. drone attacks," Mehsud told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...-------Pakistani Taliban chief claims US Binghamton shooting, Reuters ^ Posted on Saturday, April 04, 2009 2:45:37 AM by Int

[piasa]

They want that office for the same reason they craved the recognition of nations back when they were in charge of Kabul-- it would serve to give them the illusion of legitimacy which they have not rightfully earned, and cannot earn, since they are by definition not freely elected representatives of the whole people.

They PLO went that route as well, getting a foothold here and there such as in the UN and then squeezing out more and more concessions for more and more empty promises of peace talks. Next thing you know the world wanted them to have a state of their own and a lobby in Washington to support "the dream."

[Cindy]

http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2012/01/taliban_release_statement_on_n.php

“Taliban releases statement on negotiations”
By BILL ROGGIO
January 3, 2012 7:07 PM

[Cindy]

ADDING to post no. 36:

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2012/01/afghan_taliban_annou.php

“Afghan Taliban announces new ‘political office’ in Qatar”
By THOMAS JOSCELYN
January 3, 2012

#

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2011/12/taliban_seeks_freedo.php

“Taliban seek freedom for dangerous Guantanamo detainees”
By THOMAS JOSCELYN
December 19, 2011
#

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2011/03/afghan_peace_council_1.php

“Afghan peace council reportedly seeks talks with Taliban commanders held at Gitmo”
By THOMAS JOSCELYN
March 17, 2011

#

http://www.longwarjournal.org/tags/Taliban/common/

[piasa]

Speaking of the Obamas and Qatar: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2839835/posts

[piasa]

bump to the top

[piasa]

Obama Qatar Taliban Bergdahl surrenderjunkey bump