As U.S. Weighs Taliban Negotiations, Afghans Are Already Talking

I do hope that everyone reads and absorbs Carlotta Gall's piece in the
NYT. This knowledge should be the basis of discussions going forward,
and it should be reflected in the "new Afghanistan strategy."

Key points, based on conversations with Afghan officials and Western
diplomats in Kabul:

- Far from being "pie in the sky," discussions with the Taliban
leadership are already underway and could be developed into more
formal talks with the support of the US.

- Afghan parliamentarians involved in the talks said they were waiting
for President Karzai to secure guarantees of support for the process
from foreign governments, in particular the United States, before they
could go further.

- Talks with "moderate" and/or "low-level" Taliban aren't going to cut it.

- "Surrender" isn't "reconciliation." There has to be a new political
process that includes the Taliban.

As U.S. Weighs Taliban Negotiations, Afghans Are Already Talking
Carlotta Gall, New York Times, March 11, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/world/asia/11taliban.html