In this Jonathan Powell reveals that he has no understanding of the jihad ideology at all, and figures that Al-Qaeda is just like the IRA: if we sit down and talk with them and work through all our disagreements, we’ll be able to come to an accord. He has no doubt never heard of the Treaty of Hudaibiyya, or of the triple choice to be offered unbelievers by Muhammad’s own instruction (Sahih Muslim 4294), or a host of other things.
“We must talk to al-Qa’eda, says former Tony Blair aide Jonathan Powell,” by Richard Gray in the Telegraph (thanks to Joe):
A top aide to former Prime Minister Tony Blair has said that Britain must be prepared to talk to terror groups including al-Qa’eda and the Taliban if they hope to end their campaigns of violence.
Jonathan Powell, the long-term Downing Street chief of staff, said it was essential to keep a line of communication open with the terror groups.
The Northern Ireland peace deal, which Mr Powell played a central role in securing, showed how talking to terror groups could ultimately work, he said in an interview with The Guardian….