U.S. Marines return from a partnered patrol with Afghan National Army soldiers in Lakari Bazaar, Afghanistan, July 19, 2009. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. James A. BurksFrom The Telegraph:
David Miliband’s speech on Afghanistan at NATO headquarters yesterday sent completely the wrong message to our enemies. The foreign secretary called for a political deal with so-called moderate elements of the Taliban in an effort to split the insurgency:
“First, a political strategy for dealing with the insurgency through reintegration and reconciliation. That means in the long term an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan, which draws away conservative Pashtun nationalists - separating those who want Islamic rule locally from those committed to violent jihad globally - and gives them a sufficient role in local politics that they leave the path of confrontation with their government.”
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My Comment: Nile Gardiner is right when he mentions that talk about "peace talks" is the wrong message to send to the Taliban right now. The Taliban leadership will view this offer with disdain and contempt, and as further proof that they are winning the war. The sad part of this "new strategy" is that it is this same type of strategy that was applied to Iraq in 2004 and 2006 .... but it only brought more war and misery. In seemed that every discussion about peace only brought more bombings and ethnic/religious cleansing.
It was only when the Americans with their Iraqi allies and coalition forces said enough is enough .... that the surge and the destruction of Al Qaeda and Shiite extremist strongholds changed the strategic balance in the country. I suspect that the same thing will happen in Afghanistan, unless this talk about reconciliation is really a U.S./Britain plan to lay the groundwork to get out of Afghanistan.
On a side note, the Afghan President and some NATO members played up the news that a peace deal with an offshoot of the Taliban was reached. We now know that the price for this Afghan peace deal was approximately £20,000 ($30,000 US). But the problem with this "peace deal" is that there is an expiration date .... i.e. after the Afghan Presidential election.