4 Threat Matrix: Hamid Gul on Taliban negotiations

Written by Bill Roggio on January 28, 2010 2:49 PM to 4 Threat Matrix

Available online at: http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2010/01/hamid_gul_on_taliban_negotiati.php

While it pains me to have to quote Hamid Gul, the former chief of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency and an al Qaeda and Taliban ally, he is absolutely correct concerning the so-called high level talks with the Taliban. From Adnkronos International:

"This [claims of high-level talks with the Taliban] is nothing new. These kinds of efforts were taking place last year as well when former Taliban foreign minister Abdul Wakeel Muttawakil, former Taliban minister in Pakistan Mullah Zaeef, former Taliban federal minister Moulvi Arsala Rehmani (now a senator in Afghanistan) and a Mullah Abdul Hakeem Mujahid met in Saudi Arabia for reconciliation with the Taliban," said Gul.

"But they admitted that they were doing that on their own initiative and not representing Taliban," said Gul.

With his close links to the Taliban and al Qaeda, Gul certainly is in a position to know what the Taliban's leaders think of the West's overtures and those claiming to represent the group in negotiations.

For more on this subject, see these reports from The Long War Journal:

Taliban reject peace talks - Jan. 27, 2010
Taliban deny reports of negotiations with Afghan government - March 16, 2009
Taliban have not split from al Qaeda: sources - Oct. 7, 2008