Officials say that the current round of US-Taliban talks in Doha will culminate in the rewriting of the draft agreement to verify
that the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan, and the
Taliban’s role in fighting terrorism, are agreed upon parts of what will
ultimately be a final deal.
Negotiators are working to get the agreement rewritten in time to do it
during this round of talks, likely on Sunday. One potential obstacle is
that the US and the Taliban can’t agree on what to call the Taliban in the context of the deal.
The Taliban refers to itself as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the
name it had before the 2001 US invasion. The US, and the US-backed
Afghan government, have both objected because of the legitimacy that
name confers.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that he believes the “hour has come for peace in Afghanistan.”
This is more upbeat than US officials have generally been on
Afghanistan. Often, officials emphasize that nothing is agreed upon
until the entire deal is finalized, as if holding out hope the whole
process might collapse.
Months of progress, however, have made a deal increasingly likely. The
basic outline of a deal has effectively been agreed to, and now it’s all
just about working out the specifics, and ensuring that the US will
leave.
“the hour has come for peace in Afghanistan” ….
This nutcase can’t even see what a stupid self serving statement that is. Worse, the troops and resources are likely to be re tasked to wreck another population.
“and the Taliban’s role in fighting terrorism”
I’m confused, we’ve been calling the Taliban “terrorists” for 19 years. Are we even allowed to negotiate with them? Should we sanction ourselves?
This Afghan “peace” deal is testament to America’s sincerity in promoting peace and prosperity around the world–just like the USA’s honoring of the JCPOA nuclear deal with Iran, the INF and ABM treaties with Russia, and the never-ending Middle East Peace Process with the Palestinians that the USA has been working on for decades!
Look at how honestly the USA honored all of those agreements.
ROFLOL.
I believe the Taliban and Iran have become partners in the War on (US-inflicted) Terror and drug trafficking interdiction.
I suspect back door communications with input from President Trump to make a substantial dent in drug operations. That might very well include destroying the CIA’s involvement.
The US and their ISIS and Al Qaeda proxies will have a more difficult if not impossible operation invading Iran from its eastern flank (Afghanistan).
With an election looming, a peace agreement in Afghanistan would be quite the feather in the Cheeto Benito’s cap. It would be an actual accomplishment and it is one that is favored by the people (you know voters). He has to time it right because eventually like most deals Donnie does it will turn to dust. Still likely better than anything anybody else would have done.
Hey, Pompeo Maximus, the time has come for “peace” in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, North Korea and Iran as well. Close all U.S. foreign bases–our “usefulness” to the world is at an end.