Sections of Taliban ready to accept US presence in Afghanistan – report
Source: The Guardian
Some senior Taliban figures are ready to negotiate a ceasefire and might be ready to accept a long-term US military presence in Afghanistan as part of a comprehensive peace deal, according to a report to be published on Monday based on interviews with Taliban officials and negotiators.
The report, published by the Royal United Services Institute, finds that the Taliban is determined to make a decisive break with al-Qaida as part of a settlement and is open to negotiation about education for girls, but is adamantly opposed to the constitution which it sees as a prop for President Hamid Karzai's government.
The Taliban insurgents will not negotiate with the Karzai government largely because of its record of corruption. They do not trust Kabul to run fair elections, which suggests that, even if the moderates interviewed in the study prevailed within Taliban circles, serious obstacles to a peace deal would remain.
The institute's report, entitled Taliban Perspectives on Reconciliation, is the product of interviews with four unnamed figures, two of whom were ministers in the former Taliban government and are still close to the inner circle of leadership. One is described as being "closely associated" with Mullah Mohammad Omar, the Taliban leader. A third is portrayed as "a senior former mujahideen commander and lead negotiator for the Taliban", although not part of the movement itself, and the fourth is said to be "an Afghan mediator with extensive experience negotiating with the Taliban".
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/10/taliban-accept-us-presence-afghanistan
reflection
(6,286 posts)but seriously, any good news out of Afghanistan, I'll accept with guarded optimism. If the Taliban want to come to the table, I think that's a good sign, and I am also encouraged that they are softening on their positions regarding women's rights. I'm just happy a ceasefire is being talked about.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)If true and it pans out if would be another positive towards Pres O thru Secretary of State Clinton's accomplishment which will inflame the GOP. But we all know that the GOP will take credit for it anyways. But sounds like good news!!!!!
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)rachel1
(538 posts)Maybe some members of the Taliban will accept it but I can assure you that most civilians anywhere in the world would appreciate having a foreign military presence in their own country.
The US military presence in Saudi Arabia was one of the main reasons why bin Laden was motivated to attack the US!!!
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)Since our departure seems to be their primary demand.