U.S. Exploring Talks with Taliban in Afghanistan
Nothing is certain on this front yet, but the U.S. is reportedly considering opening up some channels of communication to the Taliban in Afghanistan, and between the Taliban and the Afghan government, in the interest of long-term peace goals.
Nothing is certain on this front yet, but the U.S. is reportedly considering opening up some channels of communication to the Taliban in Afghanistan, and between the Taliban and the Afghan government, in the interest of long-term peace goals. –KA
Wait, before you go…The New York Times:
Even as top American officials cautioned that they are not yet ready to formally join the nascent peace effort with their Taliban foes of the past nine years, they acknowledged that the reconciliation effort is a key part of the American-led war in Afghanistan.
“Whenever opportunities arise that are worth exploring, we ought to take advantage of that,” said Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, appearing before reporters with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at a NATO conference here.
Mr. Gates said he did not know whether “this leads into something concrete,” but he added, “We need to be open to opportunities that arise.”
… The comments from President Obama’s two highest national security officials — which came during a press conference following a meeting of NATO foreign and defense ministers — came as the leader of Afghanistan’s new peace council, Burhanuddin Rabbani, confirmed in Kabul on Thursday that contacts with members of the Taliban had been made through mediators and that the international support for direct talks added new momentum to the effort.
On Wednesday, NATO and American officials confirmed that the United States and NATO have been doing much more to try to encourage a peaceful settlement than officials had previously disclosed, including helping former fighters and insurgents to travel to peace talks.
NATO’s secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said Thursday that the approach made sense. “This political reconciliation process is Afghan-led,” Mr. Rasmussen told a news conference. “But our position is that if we can facilitate this process through practical assistance, then why not? If we get a request and we can be of practical assistance, we are prepared to do that.”
If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Support Truthdig
Middle East
Amid a severe drought, Afghan scientists are asking the international community to engage with the brutal new regime.
The much-awaited US-Taliban agreement could finally end the longest U.S. war, but an end to violence is not assured.
President Trump may have surrendered to the Taliban, but as Truthdig columnist Danny Sjursen notes, that may not amount to the end of the conflict.
Militants from the Islamic State group have declared war on Afghanistan's Shiites; IS claims responsibility for Friday's attack.
After nearly two decades, America's longest-running conflict appears to be coming to an end. Even a flawed peace deal is worth celebrating.
The agreement could see the withdrawal of all American and allied forces in the next 14 months — but it could also easily unravel.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.