Britain "could talk to Al Qaeda"?

Now I'm certainly one for talking, most people who know me will be able to agree. I certainly like dialogue. I can see the evident benefits of the US having an open dialogue with Iran over a great number of issues. Yes we spoke to Gerry Adams, an elected MP. However, speaking to AQI is a little different I feel. We can talk to Iran because we have mutual interests, and can negotiate within the bounds of geo-politics. We could negotiate with the IRA because a peace process was possible and the thought patterns of the IRA were not too far removed from those of the British Government. Likewise the UK and the IRA had some mutual interests, providing the basis for talks. I cannot see what mutual interests Britain has with the AQI leadership. They can't, or won't, help us in Afghanistan and Waziristan. We can't/won't help them in taking down America. We do not have many cross over points or mutual frames of reference. We can't talk money, economic incentives, or zones of influence with a globalised non-state organisation with a fluid structure with no desire, indeed an ardent desire not to, enter into our economic system. I really do not see the point of talking to them. What could be achieved? What possible benefit could be extracted? They aren't a Government and they don't speak for a coherent group of people (such as an ethnic, national, or confessional group).

Sir Hugh Orde may talk about levels of "pragmatism" as these certainly existed within the IRA, as history has demonstrated, but I just don't see these in AQI. Having a chat, offering them cash, pledging to remove troops from Iraq would not limit any security threat. It would be without point and quite possibly damaging.