Talking to the enemy--been there, done that

"Surrender Monkeys"..."Iraq Surrender Group"..."Cut-n-run commission"...just some of the colorful descriptions of the ISG, which has caused discontent within the GOP ranks mainly due to it's recommendation to engage in talks with enemy nations like Syria and Iran.

It does seem rather counterproductive based on their public rhetoric and private actions, but as they say, sometimes talking can reveal things about the enemy.

Thing is, we've already sat down with the enemy--the Ba'athist enemy. You know, the ones causing all the trouble in Iraq. The minions of Saddam:

At the first meeting with Khalilzad on January 17, the insurgents expressed concern about the emergence of Iran as a new regional power. With America equally worried about Iranian interference, the two sides appeared to have found some common ground. The talks continued in Baghdad for about eight weeks, sometimes on consecutive days at Allawi’s home.

Our Muslim man in Baghdad and possible future UN Ambassador Zal Khalilzad was at the center of these efforts, which were apparently going along fine for awhile:

the insurgents proposed that an emergency government be formed under Allawi’s leadership. Non-sectarian politicians should be appointed to the crucial ministries of defence and the interior, they urged, because they would be responsible for rebuilding a strong national army and security service

It appears they wanted their status back, or at least their jobs:

According to a senior Ba’athist representative, insurgent groups linked to al-Douri would not sit down with the Americans unless they first agreed to a series of other conditions ranging from compensation for Iraq’s losses during the war to the reinstatement of Saddam’s military.

Woodward's new book really hammers Paul Bremer over his firing of the Ba'athists and Army. It was a command decision that was somewhat understandable at the time, and besides, there is evidence the insurgency would have blossomed anyway.

So we've talked, but what has the talk accomplished? Not much so far. Just recently, concurrent with Saddam's death sentence, a decree was issued to cease all violence against Coalition forces, which probably had something to do with al-Maliki's offer to the former Ba'athists to get their old jobs back. We've all seen the fruits of that effort.

I think most people aren't upset with the ISG's recommendation as much as the notion that any such talks will be one-sided, a 'sucking-up' rather than a bargaining. Based on the chest-thumping from Syria and Iran perhaps there are other options for Bush to explore right now.

MORE 12/10/06

I stumbled upon this looking for Arab reaction to the ISG report. It's a statement from the Iraqi Ba'ath party regards the report:

In order to achieve the victory requirements we must widen and expand our military operations to an unprecedented record, putting the US to face either humiliating and degrading defeat and the chaotic cutting and running or to negotiate with the Resistance only after frankly accepting its conditions.. There is no solution and no exit whatsoever for the US in Iraq to endure minor damage except through accepting the Armed Resistance conditions, and this is the answer of our Party to the Baker's report.

Looks like they're just about ready to capitulate.

MORE 12/10/06

Jalal Talibani does not have fond memories of James Baker, and does not want Ba'athists back in government, a key provision of the ISG. We've come full circle.

MORE 12/10/06

Wow, things are happening fast and furious. Here's Andy Card regards President Bush and the ISG:

Referring to Mr. Bush’s secret intelligence briefings, Mr. Card said, “The president by definition knows more than any of those people who are serving on these panels.”

“The president’s obligations sometimes require him to be very lonely,” he said.

And just what might that be, Andy? I'm starting to get the feeling the ISG was constructed as some kind of stalking horse or prop. C'mon, James Baker and Vernon Jordan together on the same panel? Something's up.