Can we talk?

Ummm, probably not.

In this article from Times Online, the reporter offers details of secret meetings between U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, and rebel commanders. The discussions took place early in 2006 - from January through March, and were facilitated by former Iraq prime minister Ayad Allawi. It appears that all the information from the report was supplied by members of the insurgency.

Here's a shocker: "[The insurgents] called for a “timetable for withdrawal”, saying that it should be announced immediately although in practice it would be “linked to the timescale necessary to rebuild Iraq’s armed forces and security services”, according to one commander.

Other demands said to have been received sympathetically by Khalilzad, such as an amnesty for insurgents and a reversal of the 'de-Ba’athification' process that stripped so many Sunnis of their jobs, have now been urged by the Iraq Study Group."

And what would be the reward? "'I told Khalilzad that we had the know-how and the manpower to regain control of Baghdad and rid it of the pro-Iranian militias,' one of the insurgent commanders added.

'If he would just provide us with the weapons, we would clean up the city and regain control of Baghdad in 30 days.'"

Why am I reminded of the song from West Side Story song "Gee, Officer Krupke?"