Talking with Taliban: Talking Exit Strategy: Britain and US Want Talks

On July 10th, one of my favorite bloggers, Holger Awakens was kind enough to let me post his article CNN Report States that Obama Administration Willing to Sit Down to Peace Agreement with Taliban. Now, the Brits are talking about sitting around the table, or on the rug, and talking with second-tier Taliban leaders. Britain wants talks. The US wants talks. Do the Taliban want talks?

British Soldiers Attacked by Taliban in Helmand Province

The July 10th article asks what might happen with an American president with no commitment to winning the War on Terror. Next question: what might happen when both America and Britain, lose their commitment to winning and beg for talks with Taliban leaders? We're getting ready to find out. Citing the success of the British soldiers in clearing insurgents from Helmand province, a plan for a "significant change in tactics" has been announced. If all goes well, with chief Taliban leaders now eliminated from the area, the Brit's chief of defence, Lieutenant-General Simon Mayell, believes the second-tier Taliban leaders may want to "reconnect with the government."

The second tier of the insurgency are regarded as crucial because they control large numbers of Taliban fighters in Pashtun-dominated southern Afghanistan. The first tier of Taliban commanders – hardliners around Mullah Omar – could not be expected to start talks in the foreseeable future. The third tier – footsoldiers with no strong commitments – are not regarded as influential or significant players.

This report says that American commander, General Stanley McChrystal will give his report and recommendations to Barack Obama on July 29th. In that report, he will ask for additional NATO troops. The Brits are planning to increase troop levels from 9,000 to 10,000. From the Holger Awakens post:

CNN reporter claims that U.S. officials from the Obama administration are now willing to strike up some sort of peace accord with the Taliban - good grief. The crux of the story is that Pakistan says they can easily strike a deal between the Taliban and the U.S./NATO but Pakistan wants something in return....they basically want the U.S. to sever relations with Pakistan's biggest enemy, India. So let me lay out your worst nightmare. Barack Hussein Obama decides to take the Pakistanis up on their offer - a peace accord is penned between the U.S., NATO and the Taliban of Afghanistan. In return, America agrees to sever relations and support of India. Yeah, that's nightmare enough but the real nightmare is what would happen AFTER that. The Pakistanis, as far as I can count in my head, have signed over 30 peace accords with the Taliban inside of Pakistan and EVERY SINGLE ONE of those peace accords fell apart due to infringement by the Taliban. So you can almost see it now, the U.S. walks into the trap, the Taliban start violating the peace agreement, Obama hems and haws, the Taliban start to violate more aggressively and then....Obama has a choice to either pull out or start all over again. Which one you think he would choose?

So is the first plan one and the same as the second plan? Read this riveting article by an embedded reporter: Photo credit - Mail on Line: Afghan Diaries: Matthew Hickley Reports from Helmand Province