Speaking today to members of the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division, President Obama said there are “signs” that the Taliban might be interested in a political settlement. He said the settlement was “going to be critical in consolidating that country.”
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also confirmed the talks, terming them “unpleasant” and adding that they were “very preliminary” at this point. The US has repeatedly sought talks with the Taliban, but has also issued a number of conditions which led them to reject such talks.
Indeed, while President Hamid Karzai and a number of US officials have confirmed the talks, the Taliban itself has not done so. Several past attempts at talks turned into fiascos, with revelations that NATO was talking either to people who were former Taliban or, in one particularly shameful case, a con artist scamming them out of large sums of money.
It is interesting to note, however, that US officials have repeatedly termed the talks “preliminary,” saying that the talks haven’t made any progress yet. It seems that officials are either trying to downplay the talks because of the past failures or because they think a settlement will be unpopular.
OK.., Mr. President and Ms. Hillary Clinton.., how much we are talking about here, $20M per week.., $200M per month or lump sum of a "#¤%&/()=)(/&%¤#"Billion/s dollars per year and for how many years.., while schools in US have no money and there are more homeless people on the street then ever before you making your deal with Taliban.., why don't you cut your salaries.., take the money that's paid to Bill Clinton as well.., and start paying them by the end of the week or just get the hell out of Afghanistan and save the American children the money.
WAITAMINIT- I thought we had declared the Taliban to be a 'terrorist' outfit… but we don't negotiate with 'terrorists' do we? Or do we do so just when it's convenient, or when someone actually comes to their senses and realizes who is really in charge in Afghanistan?
While I already see the writing on the wall for the US presence in Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern nations, I am hardly the first to point fingers and say 'I told you so'. Maybe a few thousand deaths and casualties would have never had to happen had Our Fearless Leader President Barak!! Hussein!! Obama!! (Mm! Mm! Mm!) done the right thing to begin with and gotten our boys and girls out of there sooner.
A better question would be: Does the Taliban negotiate with terrorists?
Regardless of who is talking to whom you can bet that it is going to remain in "preliminary stages" at least until…2014.
Look.., Taliban, Al Queida, Jihadists, Muslims Brotherhood and other terrorist groups are helping out in Libyan war and get paid by millions of dollars.., can you think of a better deal for a terrorist groups then US making such deal with them…, Form now on.., these would be the US and EU foot solders to fight the NATO wars in Africa.., that is if they are not stopped and now.