British Defense Minister Endorses Talks Between Taliban and Pakistan

Des Brown, Britain's Defense Minister, has endorsed talks between the taliban and the Pakistani government if it means the terrorists will lay down their arms. Um...I guess Brown didn't hear how the taliban would still fight coaliation forces in Afghanistan even with a peace treaty with Pakistan. Reuters

At this point I don't care that Pakistan signed a peace deal with the taliban. In this case, we should start attacking talistan. We cannot allow a terrorist safe-haven right across the border from Afghanistan. If Pakistan treats that area and the taliban as sovereign then we can too.

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Britain's Defense Minister Des Browne endorsed peace talks between Pakistan and Taliban militants on Wednesday despite concerns from Afghanistan that the talks will allow the Taliban to regroup and launch more attacks.

Browne said Britain supported any moves that would encourage militants to put down their weapons and stop violence, and said Pakistan and Afghanistan needed to work together on problems with their border, much of which is controlled by Taliban insurgents.

....

He said reconciliation should be a part of any strategy, although it was clear some militants had no intention of putting down their weapons.

"But you can't kill your way out of these sorts of campaigns," Browne told journalists at Australia's National Press Club on Wednesday.

Faced with a wave of suicide attacks, Pakistan has begun talks with Taliban militants who control much of the country's 2,700 km (1,670 miles) mountain border with Afghanistan.

The Taliban, however, said it would fight in Afghanistan until all foreign troops were driven out of the country, and Afghanistan has expressed concerns about any peace deals.

Browne, in Australia for talks with Australian Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, said sovereign countries had the right to welcome insurgents back into society if they agreed to obey the rule of law and recognize democratic governments.

"If people are prepared to give up violence, put down their weapons, accept and recognize legitimate and democratic government ... then the sovereign governments from both countries are entitled to say we will welcome you to become part of our society," he said.

Good luck with that.