Doha: It is time to start negotiations with Al Qaida in an effort to find what common ground is possible, according to a public debate this week in Doha.
The debate was the first of the new series of the Doha Debates, hosted by Tim Sebastian in Qatar, and the audience voted by 64 per cent to 36 per cent in favour of Western and Muslim countries establishing regular lines of communication with Al Qaida.
No preconditions
The surprisingly large margin in favour of talking was influenced by the cogent twin points made by former British hostage in Lebanon, Terry Waite, and the former Pakistani Intelligence chief, General Asad Durrani.
Waite argued throughout the evening debate that whenever people are in dispute it is vital that communication happens, regardless of often profound differences. Communication channels have to be set up, and then used to see where they might lead. He emphasised that no preconditions should be set, and that only through open discussions can any areas of common interest emerge.
Durrani spoke of the total failure of the present position, which he said has only allowed Al Qaida to gain strength. The case against talking to Al Qaida was based on the understanding that its ideology is not a pragmatic political set of policies which can allow compromise, but rather it is a 'twisted theology' which is not part of any Islamic revival but is a disease which needs to be removed, according to Laith Kubba, Iraqi political activist and former senior advisor to Iraqi prime minister Ebrahim Al Jaafari. His case against granting them the legitimacy of negotiations, was backed by British Conservative MP, Adam Holloway, who added that the world has to be ready to start what might be a 50 year programme to deal with many issues in the Middle East, which all need to be tackled as a matter of urgency, but Al Qaida has to be separated from these challenges. "Al Qaida cannot be turned into the gatekeeper to peace," he said.
In the chair, Tim Sebastian's trademark combative style kept the debate focused on the question, and channelled the wide range of points from the audience to the issue at hand. The very mixed audience was made up of young people from Qatar and other Arab states, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and several western countries.
Agree: Invasion created civil war in Afghanistan
"After 9-11, all of us all went wrong. The first mistake was by the US-led coalition when it invaded Afghanistan, and none of its objectives succeeded, except for toppling the Taliban. Ultimately we created a civil war in Afghanistan, especially in the Pashtoon areas in the south and east", said Gen Durrani.
Durrani condemned Presidents George Bush and Pervez Musharraf for this failure. "What ever happens to them after they are thrown out of power, they thoroughly deserve it and they should end up in the International Court," he said.
The moment of sympathy for the United States created by the attack on 9-11, was misused so much that sympathy for the other side has increased. "I do not think that the days is far away that people will move to Al Qaida's side, shouting down with Bush and Musharraf," he added.
Commenting on the political developments in Pakistan, Durrani was more hopeful, with a stronger judiciary and civil society, and more people "coming to the conclusion that the only way is the right way."
Of the three present contenders for power, he sees Nawaz Sharif having moved ahead of the other two, due to Benazir Bhutto having wasted her political capital in negotiating for some kind of joint rule, and Musharraf's position having "gone from bad to worse".
Disagree: Like Frankenstein it went out of control
"Al Qaida has been grossly underestimated, and it has the capacity to grow fast. Its only agenda is spreading death and destruction following a deadly mix of twisted theology and dangerous ideas," said Dr Laith Kubba.
The insurgency made a fatal mistake in allying with Al Qaida as a weapon in fighting the Americans, said Kubba, adding that like Frankenstein Al Qaida went out of control and started attacking Sunnis as well as others including the Americans. The Sunni insurgents eventually realised that Al Qaida had turned against them, but better late than never.
Recognising the dead-end that Iraq is in at present, Kubba wants to see a conference of Iraq's neighbours take a lead in defining an agenda for peace. He dismissed the US as exhausted, and UN as incapable.
"Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia have influence over Iraq's domestic politics, and if they see eye to eye they can put together a peace agenda", like the Taif conference that brought peace to Lebanon.
"This cannot happen if the US opposes it," added Kubba. "Such an idea was initially mentioned by Baker Hamilton, but nothing has happened so far."
"We need these neighbours since they will cut the leaders in Iraq to size. We cannot rely on them, since they have vested interests in maintaining the status quo," he added.
Forum for free speech in Arab world
The Doha Debates are a forum for free speech in the Arab world, chaired by Tim Sebastian, formerly of the BBC's Hard Talk. The series has been broadcast on BBC World since January 2005, and is hosted by the Qatar Foundation chaired by Shaikha Mouza Bint Nasser Al Misnad, wife of the Emir of Qatar.
When to turn on the TV: This debate, the first of the new series, will be broadcast on BBC World on Saturday September 8 (at 15.10 and 22.00) and Sunday September 9 (at 05.10; 11.10; and 21.10)
