So Much For Those Afghanistan Peace Talks

Tears in the eyes of Afghan president Hamid Karzai, seen through the screen of a video camera at Amani high school in Kabul. Photograph: Shah Marai/AFP/Getty Images

Taliban Reject Karzai's New Peace Council -- Wall Street Journal

KABUL—Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday appointed the members of a new council that aims to negotiate a peace settlement with Taliban insurgents.

The Taliban, who earlier Tuesday assassinated the deputy governor of a key province, immediately rebuffed Mr. Karzai's latest overtures.

Mr. Karzai, who cried during Tuesday's speech as he recounted Afghanistan's woes, has made the pursuit of a peace deal his key priority. This outreach had been met with hostility by many leaders of Afghanistan's ethnic minorities, who fear Mr. Karzai, a Pashtun, is willing to make to make too many concessions to the mostly Pashtun insurgents.

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More News On Peace Talks (Or Not) In Afghanistan

Afghan President Karzai appeals for peace after provincial official's murder -- Washington Post
Hamid Karzai in tearful plea for peace with Taliban -- The Guardian
Warlords, ex-Taliban on peace council for talks -- AFP
Afghan government sets up 70-member peace council -- AP
Afghanistan's President Karzai names Taliban outreach group -- Christian Science Monitor
Taliban made contact with Afghan government: US general -- AFP
Petraeus: Taliban have reached out to reconcile -- AP

My Comment: I was not excited when I read yesterday's news that General Petraeus had heard that some elements of the Taliban were reaching out to the Afghan Government for peace talks .... I simply do not see the Taliban negotiating with a government that they feel will be abandoned by the US in a year or two. The Taliban's immediate rejection of Karzai's peace offering bears this out.

With the White House being very opened that they will be leaving Afghanistan within a certain time frame .... if I was a Taliban leader I would then just wait them out .... 1, 2 or 3 years .... what difference does it make if I know that the Americans/NATO will be leaving at the end. Because I know that at the end, the Afghan Government will be no match for my soldiers in any one on one fight.