Are The Afghan Taliban Looking For A Peaceful Solution?

Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, right, formally assumes command of NATO's International Security Assistance Force during a July 4, 2010, ceremony at the command's headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan. NATO photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Bradley Lail

Petraeus Says Taliban Have Reached Out To Karzai -- New York Times

KABUL, Afghanistan — The top American commander in Afghanistan said Monday that senior Taliban leaders had reached out to President Hamid Karzai in the context of early efforts to start reconciliation discussions that could pave the way to end the fighting in Afghanistan.

For months, efforts at reconciliation have been stalled at every level, and this is the first explicit public suggestion that there is extensive behind-the-scenes activity between insurgents and the Afghan government.

Read more ....

Update: Taliban ready to reconcile: Petraeus -- Sydney Morning Herald

My Comment: I am skeptical. Correction .... I am very skeptical. But after years and years of war .... some may be getting a bit tired of continuing this conflict. Unfortunately, the Taliban are not a unified force. It is made up of numerous ethnic/tribal groups, and many have agendas that may be different from the Taliban that operate across the valley. Throw in the involvement of other countries, historical ethnic/tribal animosities, and the influence of drug warlords .... a negotiated peace will probably be next to impossible.

Having said that .... Karzai is Afghanistan's President, and he has every right to pursue peace talks with the Taliban.