Taliban ready to negotiate, says Kabul minister

Taliban ready to negotiate, says Kabul minister

www.ft.com

Afghanistan's finance minister has raised the prospect of involving the Taliban across all strata of government, at both district and national level, as part of a plan for their reintegration and brokering peace.

"Negotiations could begin as early as tomorrow if we have international backing," he said.

Before tomorrow's opening of an international conference on Afghanistan in London that will address plans for an exit strategy for western forces, Omar Zakhilwal told the Financial Times he believed that the Taliban was ready to negotiate.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Well I did a quick search and came up with nothing. If I missed it then I apologizes. I don't know if this will go anywhere but I thought it would be something worth posting here at ATS. I'm not going to hold my breath. It seems that every few months a story comes out making similar claims.


One can always be hopeful.

If this pans out then there just may be light at the end of the tunnel.



www.ft.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Afghan Government Aims to Reduce Corruption, Integrate Taliban

The search for reconciliation in Afghanistan “is an investment in peace,” he said. “It is making a conducive environment for elements of Taliban who would want to join a peaceful life.”

He added, “they could be a part of the political process. If they qualify for posts, they will be given posts. It doesn’t necessarily mean power-sharing.”

I bet USA Inc. will still have control of the poppy fields and opium/heroin production! Unrest is their life...peace is rare with these kinds of people. I highly doubt the Taliban will want peace in the end.

To be honest, it's the only way IMHO. I really don't think we could ever win a war here.

Fingers crossed peace can come from this and all our soldiers can return home.

g

Just to clarify, as president Kharzai spoke about this last week, this for the run-of-the-mill Taliban foot soldier, which is basically a farmer who has been recruited for better pay than what the Government pays the ANA soldiers.

Kharzai spoke that he would offer these Taliban "soldiers" a resettlement grant, education and jobs in return for them laying down their guns. Any "hardcore" fighters or those with ideological differences would not be negotiated with, he said.

In a country where the best paid jobs are as Taliban soldiers, it's not surprising the insurgency is proving difficult to eradicate. Some form of settlement must be reached, in order for there to be a chance of peace. If this can take the wind out of the Taliban sails, it'll burn itself out once the Afghan economy starts to pick up.

Whilst I recognise that every opportunity to achieve a lasting peace has to be explored I would be somewhat suspicious of the intentions of The Taliban.

As I'm sure everyone is aware The Taliban believe in a particular barbaric and all encompassing brand of Islam.

One of the basic tenets is that it is ok for any Muslim to use whatever tactics possible when dealing with Kaffirs in their efforts to impose Sharia.
Thus it would be perfectly ok to agree a negotiate peace with Allied Forces, wait for a withdrawal of troops and then take up arms again and to renege on any agreement.

The Taliban and it's supporters sole aim is the imposition of Sharia, everywhere.

Simple solution - we get out of there and leave them to it.

They can't impose Sharia over here if we don't let them in. Guarding poppy fields for corrupt governments, government agencies and bankers is not worth the life of a single member of the armed forces, who do after all sign up to protect OUR country, not the investments of the elite.

I hear all the time how we must fight them there so we don't have to fight them here and that, quite frankly, is absurd. The government hands out visas like confetti all the time, allowing possible enemies into the country. So who is the real threat, the would be terrorist or those in government that are knowingly allowing possible eneimies into the country in the first place.

As for any homegrown radicals or immigrant status malcontents, simply ship them off to the country they wish to support if they break the laws of this one. No argument, parachute on, arse kicked out the back of a C-130.

Taliban will never negotiate,mark my words.

Originally posted by solid007
Taliban will never negotiate,mark my words.

And why should they when they keep gaining ground and already control so much territory?

It seems, despite the "surge" and media exaggerating how things are, the reality seems to be that little or no progress is being made. As long as we (when I say we, I mean our governments) keep killing more and more wedding parties and other "colatteral" damage from airstrikes and drone missile attacks, the insurgency will continue as those left after the smoke has cleared wil be after bloodto avenge their lost ones. That is, in my opinion, by design and used as justification in prolonging any conflict. After all, this is all highly profitable for some people, who also just happen to be the ones in control both politically and financially.

reply to post by SLAYER69


I can't find the article in that link you provided in the OP.....

Originally posted by SRHAZE420

I bet USA Inc. will still have control of the poppy fields and opium/heroin production!

I am sure of that.......

Its about time, but we will see what goes on, I think its time we bring our Boys and Girls home.

reply to post by Britguy


I certainly symathise with the sentiments you expressed, as I suspect do the majority of people in the UK.

The only thing's are that the majority of Afghani's themselves want us over there, they do not want a return to Taliban control.
Do we just sell them out now?

And on the larger scale, cn we afford to let The Taliban gain a foothold in Afghanistan.
We withdraw our troops and in a few years time The Taliban resume their offensive elsewhere, namely Pakistan.
If they gain control of Pakistan they then gain their nuclear arsenal....and they would be prepared to use them!
How would India and Israel react to that?

If we allow The Taliban even an inch we face the real threat of nuclear confrontation in the area.

I fully understand that we need to explore every opportunity for peace but I genuinely feel that nothing but the total disbandment and disarnament of The Taliban would be acceptable.

Me, I would much rather see a double pronged attack on The Taliban; all out offensive with a full and properly equipped Army and support aimed at eradicating The Taliban and an aid and education package designed to ensure that ordinary Afghani's do not suffer and are able to form a government of their type and choice free from intimidation and pressure from Religious extremists and Western politicians.

reply to post by SLAYER69


That is the problem, SLAYER69, that the "corruption" they speak of cracking down upon, is subjective to their personal beliefs according to their culture.

Taliban Build Multi-Million Dollar Insurgent Operation, Complicating U.S. Efforts

The culture of the Middle East is very much so different than America's ideas about corruption, but at the same time, our duplicitous leaders in Washington D.C. are usually mixed up in it somehow, either through C.I.A. involvement with drugs, or our foreign policy of the day is to look the other way in order to gain intelligence data from some of the worst criminally connected organizations to begin with.

You cannot climb into bed with slimy, vile, and despicable people and not expect to catch their diseases.

The question is here which Government am I calling slimy, vile, and despicable?

World Government is often tied up in various ways in the crap in order to not only propagate this charade, but to give themselves a reason to exist to begin with through the funding necessary to stop these crimes.

[edit on 27-1-2010 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

Originally posted by rainfall
reply to post by SLAYER69

 

I can't find the article in that link you provided in the OP.....

Huh?
What?
Can you explain what it is you're having issues with?

Originally posted by solid007
Taliban will never negotiate,mark my words.

You are correct.
This is twisted by the MSM.
Instead the Taliban have asked for the US to surrender... and we kind of... said that we would talk about it... so in the mind of Islam (Taliban) we have surrendered.

Originally posted by solid007
Taliban will never negotiate,mark my words.

Well you're welcome to your opinion.
However to many that demonstrates a lack of knowledge of the situation, as another poster has pointed out there are many subtle differences between the various "Taliban" groups.

This will be interesting to see how this may play out over the next few weeks.

reply to post by stumason


Very well put.

There seems to be an almost super human mythical status when it comes to the opinion of the "Taliban" here at ATS. They are just like any other organization of Humans. Complete with flaws and infighting.

Originally posted by rainfall
reply to post by SLAYER69

 

I can't find the article in that link you provided in the OP.....

Originally posted by SRHAZE420

I bet USA Inc. will still have control of the poppy fields and opium/heroin production!

I am sure of that.......

The article is right here.

Quote from : Taliban ready to negotiate, says Kabul minister

Afghanistan's finance minister has raised the prospect of involving the Taliban across all strata of government, at both district and national level, as part of a plan for their reintegration and brokering peace.

"Negotiations could begin as early as tomorrow if we have international backing," he said.

Before tomorrow's opening of an international conference on Afghanistan in London that will address plans for an exit strategy for western forces, Omar Zakhilwal told the Financial Times he believed that the Taliban was ready to negotiate.

"Even at this moment they do sense that it will be impossible for them to return to power."

All I did was click SLAYER69's link and it came up so it might be your browser.

Originally posted by Britguy

Originally posted by solid007
Taliban will never negotiate,mark my words.

And why should they when they keep gaining ground and already control so much territory?

It seems, despite the "surge" and media exaggerating how things are, the reality seems to be that little or no progress is being made.

Interesting.

You do realize that the "Surge" hasn't occurred yet right? The increase of soldiers will begin soon. It hasn't taken place yet and Afghanistan will not see the complete amount of the increase till almost the end of 2010.

Here is another perspective.
Afghanistan, allies to launch new effort to return Taliban to society

The mullah was jailed for three days, then released without explanation. The episode left him regretting that he ever trusted Afghan authorities and so fearful of reprisals that months later he spoke only on condition of anonymity. "That's why I joined this reconciliation process -- to get this letter," the mullah said. "I don't even carry it anymore."

The Afghan government, U.S. officials and NATO are preparing a new effort to bring mid- and low-level Taliban fighters back into society. In doing so, they face the task of convincing militants that the jobs and amnesty they promise this time will materialize.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has long pressed efforts to peel Taliban fighters away from the insurgency.