Tom Hayden: Documents Reveal Secret Talks Between U.S. and Armed Iraqi Resistance

DemocracyNow!
With Amy Goodman

"Former California state senator Tom Hayden is reporting that U.S. officials have secretly been involved in direct contacts with the Sunni armed resistance to explore a ceasefire in Iraq and even the possible replacement of the Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government with an interim one.

Tom Hayden, a former California State Senator. He joins us on the line from California.

AMY GOODMAN: It’s good to have you with us Tom. Well, why don't you layout what you learned.

TOM HAYDEN: Well, it’s very murky, but we’ll know enough in a few days I suppose. But, over the past several years, but especially in the past months since the election, there have been contacts at a deniable level, but definite contacts between representatives of the armed Irania-—armed Iraqi National Resistance and the US over the possible conditions for a cease-fire and a change of regime in Baghdad. And the reason, the sources of this are first, I have some direct knowledge of meetings in Aman just a few days ago. Secondly, it's been all over the press in the Arab world like on Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper on November 3rd. And, it's consistent with the past. The question I guess is, is there a faction of the administration that has decided to explore a cease-fire in a settlement with the Sunni resistance since the US has failed to defeat them militarily. That would require probably a deadline for withdrawal and further talks.

And secondly, it may be that the US has realized that the Shia that it placed in power have created a Pro-Iran, Shia state starting in southern Iraq . So the US now seems to want to launch an urban offensive against the Madi Army of Muqtada al-Sadr in Sadr city, you know what kind of blood bath that would be. To do that, they would of to get the Prime Minister, al-Maliki, out of the way because he depends on al-Sadr for votes and parliament. So, there could be a plan to replace al-Maliki with a strong man, turn the Shia loose and so on. But, who knows?

What I do know is that the, the peace movement is very important as a factor in all this and needs to stay alive, because they have rattled the foreign policy establishment creating a – not only a general mandate for peace, but a time table. There's a certain urgency to get this business done before the 2008 election."

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