US To Hold Talks With Taliban 'Within Days'

US To Hold Talks With Taliban 'Within Days'

news.sky.com

US representatives could meet with the Taliban in Doha within days after the Islamist group opened a "political office" in the Qatari city.

Senior Obama administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the Taliban's move to open the office as a stepping stone to full Taliban renouncement of al Qaeda.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Found this today and i haven't seen it posted yet so figured quite a few of you would find this intersting.


it has been confirmed that the US government is to engage the Taliban in formal talks for the first time. Although we know they have been doing this by the "back door" for quite some time. If this brings about a end to the killing in Afghanistan then I am all for it, will be interesting to see what comes out of these talks.

news.sky.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin


I do believe the US is planning to stage a withdrawal from Afghanistan. Probably negotiation with the Taliban to ensure nothing happens at the withdrawal process

Edited at the request of the OP.

Because he's a nice guy.
And I try to be a nice guy.

As an American? I'm all for bringing an end to our part in the war by all means necessary. They've been fighting there since 1979. Nothing will end war there....but we need the exit door and I suppose if this helps by some counter-intuitive miracle? It's worth a shot. I term it that way for a reason beyond by inherent distrust and dislike for the Taliban. This appears in another article on the same story:

The Afghan Taliban opened the office to help restart talks on ending the 12-year-old war, saying it wanted a political solution that would bring about a just government and end foreign occupation.

Senior Barack Obama administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak on the record, described the office opening to AP as a stepping stone to full Taliban renouncement of al Qaeda.

Source

The Taliban and Al Qaeda were different things with daylight between them in 2001. Bush even offered them 3 chances to renounce and give up Al Qaeda at that time to entirely prevent war. Now I think we all know he made those offers, knowing they would be refused..but they were made across world press and public. I often wonder how things may have gone, had they done it to call his bluff. Water under the bridge now, though.

They aren't different things anymore, that I see or have seen for years. Wishful thinking is indicated by believing they are capable of fully separating themselves at this point for more than political expediency and temporarily, to see US forces leave.

Though..Again? Here? I'll be the Ugly American if thats what I am in saying it. I'll simply say I don't CARE anymore, if it gets our men and women out of that hell hole and back on U.S. Soil to live their lives here. Not killing and dying over there.


(Source)

19 lost this month alone ... 9 of them American, so far.

reply to post by butcherguy


Done!!

Thank you!

I support efforts to get all foreign powers out of Afghanistan.

I just hope that a democratically elected government can be maintained that grants equal rights to women!

The wars and politics have been so confusing. The reason I say that is because we have lost so much and for what. I don't know what to say about this news. I hope we can find peace.

Originally posted by starwarsisreal
reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin

 

I do believe the US is planning to stage a withdrawal from Afghanistan. Probably negotiation with the Taliban to ensure nothing happens at the withdrawal process

edit on 18-6-2013 by starwarsisreal because: (no reason given)

What about after the withdrawal ? You left it out Kerry is visiting Pakistan this month Wonder what the game plans are for the region after the withdrawa

reply to post by hp1229


you raised a whole bunch of interesting points in that very short post, the timing is very interesting on this i must say.

reply to post by hp1229

What about after the withdrawal ?

Indeed.
It could quite easily descend into carnage, just like Iraq.

The Taliban aren't exactly a tolerant group and there are many political, religious and tribal scores to be settled.

You left it out Kerry is visiting Pakistan this month Wonder what the game plans are for the region after the withdrawa

This may upset some but I think it's fair to say that Pakistan is a ticking time bomb and there are so many possible scenario's that could set it off - and in the midst of it all is the fact that Pakistan has nuclear weapons.

The diplomats who will be involved in these 'talks' have an unenviable task if they are to even begin to make progress towards a lasting peaceful solution that satisfies all party's and ensure's the safety of the general Afghani population.

Disgusting - absolutely disgusting. What happened to 'we don't talk to terrorists'? (Blair was doing so when he negotiated the Good Friday Agreement - but hypocrisy never stopped that weasel).

Why did it take countless deaths, destroyed families, untold misery and heartache to an already subjugated people for them to belatedly determine that talking was a better way? I mean, it's not like anyone ever told them so is it?

Originally posted by butcherguy
Thank you!

I support efforts to get all foreign powers out of Afghanistan.

I just hope that a democratically elected government can be maintained that grants equal rights to women!

edit on 18-6-2013 by butcherguy because: (no reason given)

Does that include Pakistan and it's ISI the origins of the Taliban?

Originally posted by neo96

Originally posted by butcherguy
Thank you!

I support efforts to get all foreign powers out of Afghanistan.

I just hope that a democratically elected government can be maintained that grants equal rights to women!

edit on 18-6-2013 by butcherguy because: (no reason given)

Does that include Pakistan and it's ISI the origins of the Taliban?

The ones that knew where the guy that the govt says was OBL was living? I don't like Pakistan much right now.
I don't have much hope for any of the Middle East or Asian countries that are Islamic states.
I don't think any of them are worth our servicemen dying over.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin


I just wonder if they are all meeting to discus America's surrender.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin


Ok, good news but a little late (12 years) to the starting gate for diplomacy. Heck, I remember back when the drums of war were just beginning to rumble, the subject of having talks to avert war came up. George Dubya was pretty dismissive of the whole concept, saying something like: "We don't negotiate with terrorists."

So after 12 years, untold trillions spent, and countless lives lost, soldiers & civilians, NOW we negotiate? I mean yeah, good, seek a peaceful solution by all means... but what has changed to prompt this, save for lost time, money and last but certainly not least: LIFE...?

Originally posted by christina-66
Disgusting - absolutely disgusting. What happened to 'we don't talk to terrorists'? (Blair was doing so when he negotiated the Good Friday Agreement - but hypocrisy never stopped that weasel).

Why did it take countless deaths, destroyed families, untold misery and heartache to an already subjugated people for them to belatedly determine that talking was a better way? I mean, it's not like anyone ever told them so is it?

Why are we talking to terrorists?

AAAACH it is not a war but a perpetual continuation of an invasion of a Sovereign Nation........

Please do not call this a war because by all definitions it is not.

Now back to the OP this is good news for an awful lot of people and thanks for bringing this to light here on ATS.

Regards, Iwinder

What a surprise, US announce talks with The Taliban and Karzai suspends talks with the US.

www.bbc.co.uk...

the US has been directin...oops, I mean "talking" to the Taliban all along ( ever since they created them)...
Just ask Pat Tillman