BUDAPEST, Hungary – Political reconciliation may be possible with elements of the Taliban, but not al Qaida, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday.
Any agreement must be on the Afghan government’s terms, and former insurgents would have to agree to be subordinate to the Afghan government, he said.
But when asked about rumors of a Taliban reconciliation with the Afghan government, and whether western countries could also reconcile with the Taliban, Gates left the possibility open, citing the "awakening movement" in Iraq where U.S. troops worked with former Sunni insurgents to combat al Qaida.
"We promoted a reconciliation that involved people we were pretty confident had been shooting at us and killing our soldiers," he said. "At the end of the day, that’s how most wars end."
But he emphasized the United States would not support any plan for reconciliation with terrorists working for Al Qaida.
Gates spoke to reporters after meeting with NATO ministers on whether coalition forces should go after drug money that is funding the Taliban.
Earlier this month Army Gen. John Craddock, head of NATO, proposed such a plan. But Gates said some allies voiced concerns that taking on such a mission would put NATO troops at risk and absolve the Afghan government fighting the drug lords.
NATO officials planned to discuss the matter further on Friday morning, he said.
"How it will come out, I’m not certain at this point."
Gates also said NATO ministers indicated Thursday that they plan to send more forces to Afghanistan, but he would not say which members or how many troops they might send.
Commanders in Afghanistan have requested four additional brigade combat teams.
The U.S. has diverted a Marine Air Ground Task Force and an Army brigade combat team from Iraq to Afghanistan, but further reinforcements will be unavailable until spring or summer.
Gates could not say exactly how many extra troops are needed in Afghanistan to include aviation assets and combat support troops.
"I think it’s still to be determined," he said.
