The most important development is that Germany has been mediating secret talks between the U.S. government and Tayyab Agha, a Taliban official who in the past has had close links with the group’s leader, Mohammad Omar. The German-sponsored talks were disclosed Tuesday in Der Spiegel and confirmed to me by a well-informed U.S. source.
A second positive trend is that India and Pakistan are speaking in similar language about their support for an Afghan-led negotiated settlement. An important signal came from Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a May 13 speech in Kabul. He endorsed President Hamid Karzai’s “process of national reconciliation” and said India “will respect the choices you make.”
A third positive trend is on the battlefield itself. The U.S.-led coalition entered this fighting season having cleared several major Taliban strongholds in Kandahar and Helmand provinces, providing more leverage. There’s some independent evidence that the Taliban is feeling the pressure.
The most important development is that Germany has been mediating secret talks between the U.S. government and Tayyab Agha, a Taliban official who in the past has had close links with the group’s leader, Mohammad Omar. The German-sponsored talks were disclosed Tuesday in Der Spiegel and confirmed to me by a well-informed U.S. source.
ReplyDeleteA second positive trend is that India and Pakistan are speaking in similar language about their support for an Afghan-led negotiated settlement. An important signal came from Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a May 13 speech in Kabul. He endorsed President Hamid Karzai’s “process of national reconciliation” and said India “will respect the choices you make.”
A third positive trend is on the battlefield itself. The U.S.-led coalition entered this fighting season having cleared several major Taliban strongholds in Kandahar and Helmand provinces, providing more leverage. There’s some independent evidence that the Taliban is feeling the pressure.