Yemen President Wants 'Dialogue' With Al Qaeda

This guy sound like a liberal Democrat. Gee, if we're just nice to them they'll lay down their arms and we'll all get along. What could possibly go wrong?

Good grief.

Yemen's president Ali Abdullah Saleh said he is open to dialogue with Al-Qaeda militants, as a top official warned that dozens of foreign jihadists are grouping in a remote part of the impoverished country.

"If Al-Qaeda (militants) lay down their arms, renounce violence and terrorism and return to wisdom, we are prepared to deal with them," Saleh told Abu Dhabi TV in an interview carried by Yemen's Saba news agency on Sunday.

"We are prepared to deal with anyone who renounces violence and terrorism," he said.

Is there anyone on the planet who really believes Al Qaeda wants to "get along" and renounce violence?

Washington has urged Yemen to crack down on Al-Qaeda after the local franchise of Osama bin Laden's network said it was behind a Christmas Day botched bombing on board a US airliner.

Saleh, whose country is also facing a Shiite rebellion in the north and a movement for autonomy in the south, stressed the government will crack down heavily on those who resort to violence.

"They are a threat not only to Yemen but also to international peace and security, particularly Al-Qaeda. They are ignorants, drug dealers and illiterate. They have no relation with Islam," he said

Uh, so why the desire for "dialogue"?

Saleh can be guaranteed of one thing: If he has any "dialogue" with Al Qaeda he'll be signing his own death warrant.