06/28/05

There were reports last Friday that representatives of the US Occupation Forces in Iraq were engaged in secret talks with leaders of the Iraqi resistance. For a brief two day period, there was reason to hope that there might be a genuine opportunity to begin negotiations for a political settlement to the 27 month conflict. When Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld made his scheduled appearances on the Sunday morning talk shows he confirmed that the alleged meetings had taken place saying, 'Well, the first thing I would say about the meetings is they go on all the time.' Later, he would reinforce this suggestion on Meet the Press when he was asked whether there had been 'two meetings between Iraqi and U.S. officials and some members of the insurgency.' Rumsfeld responded, 'I think there have probably been many more than that.' It was all lies...

http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney06282005.html

from CounterPunch, by Mike Whitney


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp