AAM: "This could
potentially be the first major breakthrough in the
long-running conflict."
Friday, July 10, 2009
Length: 3:01
LARGE (34.9 MB)
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Michael talks to Kiran Chetry about last night's
exclusive regarding the Pakistani military being
willing to bring the Taliban to the table.
KIRAN
CHETRY: Forty-six minutes past the hour. Welcome back
to the Most News in the Morning.
President Barack Obama is staking a lot on winning
the war in Afghanistan. And now he may have an
opportunity that could help end the conflict. In a
CNN exclusive, our Michael Ware has learned that
Pakistan's military is talking to Afghan Taliban
leaders. These are the same people killing U.S. and
NATO soldiers. Michael Ware joins us live from
Baghdad. And Michael, what exactly have you learned
about these discussions?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kiran, what we
know is that Pakistan military's association with
these groups dates back decades. And as the official
spokesman for the Pakistani military told me on
camera in an interview in Pakistan, that after the
September 11 attacks, those links with the Taliban
changed but they were not severed.
For the first time ever, the Pakistan military has
gone public to say that we are talking with the
leaders of the Taliban, including Mullah Omar and
including the Afghan-Taliban commander who is right
now believed to be holding an American soldier
prisoner. Now, the Afghan - the Pakistan military
spokesman, General Abbas, went even further. He said
not only are we talking to these troops - to the
Afghan Taliban, but we can bring them to the
negotiating table with the United States with the
view to brokering a cease-fire. This is something
that the Bush administration waited almost seven
years to hear from the Pakistani military. This could
potentially be the first major breakthrough in the
long-running conflict -- Kiran.
CHETRY: What would Pakistan want in return?
WARE: Pakistan's made it very clear - their number
one rival, their military foe in the region is India.
And what many Americans don't understand is that much
of the conflict in Afghanistan involves that rivalry
between Pakistan and India. Both of those nations are
using Afghanistan to compete for influence. Indeed,
in Kabul, the Indian government has enormous
influence with the Karzai government. The Karzai
government's relationship with Pakistan is strained
and full of friction.
So what Pakistan is saying is we will bring you the
Taliban to talk to but we want you to tell India to
back off. And senior U.S. officials have told me that
the Obama administration is ready not only to talk to
India, but also to talk to Mullah Omar and the other
Taliban commanders. Kiran?
CHETRY: Interesting to see if this is a turning point
in any way, Michael. And we look forward to hearing
that as you said you did that interview just a little
while ago. Michael Ware for us in Baghdad this
morning. Thanks so much.
It is now 49 minutes past the hour.