The Obama administration is continuing its outreach efforts to radical groups. On Tuesday in Islamabad, U.S. envoy Richard C. Holbrooke met with Liaqat Baloch, a leader of Pakistan's Islamist Jamaat-i-Islami party. The two had what was billed as a "very useful" 90-minute meeting. Mr. Holbrooke also met with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party who is closely tied to the Taliban in Afghanistan. Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari approves of this approach, saying that outreach to Islamist parties is part of "a new era" of seeking reconciliation instead of retrenchment and violence.
The new outreach approach has changed the diplomatic process but has yet to have a major impact on policy. Mr. Holbrooke said that his meeting with Mr. Baloch was "the most intellectually sustained debate I've ever had in this country," but the Islamist leader observed that regardless of the change in administration, "there still is no change in the practice." There is a decided gap between rhetoric and reality. Read more ...
The new outreach approach has changed the diplomatic process but has yet to have a major impact on policy. Mr. Holbrooke said that his meeting with Mr. Baloch was "the most intellectually sustained debate I've ever had in this country," but the Islamist leader observed that regardless of the change in administration, "there still is no change in the practice." There is a decided gap between rhetoric and reality. Read more ...
Source: The Washington Times
H/T: J.R.
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