Karzai Calls for the Taliban to Begin Peace Talks Before the U.S. and NATO Leave

Karzai calls to begin talks with the Taliban with a meeting of the elders

Afghanistan’s President Karzai is asking for talks with the Taliban before the U.S. begins taking troops out of the country. Um, yes. Good idea.  

While the U.S. troop withdrawal will not begin for another year and a half, it is important that the surge in military activity correspond to a surge in diplomatic activity. Just attacking the Taliban more will drive them further into seclusion and anger. Offering them a diplomatic way out along the way will erode their resolve- or so we hope.

At this point the Taliban is demanding that the U.S. and NATO troops withdraw from Afghanistan first before peace talks begin. Nice try, guys.

The Taliban fighters have long maintained that they will negotiate only if 110,000 foreign troops leave Afghanistan first. Apparently they are not in tune with what it means to be told what to do.

"The international community is here for success in defeat of terrorism, success in the defeat of extremism. Therefore, they have to be satisfied that they have achieved their objective before they can leave. [The Taliban should] "return to their own country and work for peace in order for us to be able to have the U.S. and other forces to be able to have the freedom to go back home," said Karzai.

Karzai is calling military leaders to take part in a "loya jirga" (large assembly of elders) as a way to start the peace talks. You have to give him some credit on that one- the U.S. would have bungled that kind of peace talk kick-off. Karzai has been calling for peace talks all along the way. I wonder if a meeting of the elders would truly make progress? As it seems that the U.S. presence and democratic elections that have brought Karzai to power have done little to tamp down the insurgency of the Taliban, is traditional diplomacy the answer? I say it is well worth a shot.

In the mean time, Washington is sending 30,000 more troops this year. Other nations are sending a total of 7,000. Instead of taking troops out, we will be sending in even more to try and work the Taliban over and get them to submit. Will it work? Only time will tell.  

Saudi Arabia has offered to help facilitate talks with the Taliban if the Taliban stops harboring Osama bin Laden. Interesting tactic.

"We as Afghans are trying our best to reach as high as possible to bring peace and security to Afghanistan, but it has an international aspect as well. It is a bit more complicated," said Karzai. What he means is that many Taliban leaders are internationally blacklisted and cannot participate in official negotiations. I’m sure that could be changed.

The ball is truly in the Taliban’s court on this one. More troops, not fewer will be coming for them soon, and hopefully both Karzai and U.S. leaders will keep the door open for negotiations. Perhaps the combination of diplomatic offerings during a time of increased military pressure will break the Taliban’s resistance. We can only hope.

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