How The War May Eventually End In Afghanistan

FAMILY FRIENDS - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jose Hernandez interacts with a local elder and his family during a security patrol in the Garmsir District in Afghanistan's Helmand province, July 8, 2011. Hernandez is assigned to Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Combined Anti-Armor Team 1. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Colby W. Brown

Speaking With The Enemy: How US Commanders Fight The Taliban During The Day And Dine With Them At Night -- The Telegraph

US Marine commanders spend their days hunting Taliban fighters but lay down their weapons to dine with insurgent leaders at night as they try to negotiate an end to fighting in Afghanistan.

Sitting in the spartan parlour of the governor of Sangin's office, Lieutenant Colonel Tom Savage waits for his opposite number in the Taliban to turn up for tea.

Fittingly, perhaps, for a man whose day job is killing Lt Col Savage's fellow US Marines, the insurgent leader will only ever meet at night, and even then, it is a cloak-and-dagger affair.

Shortly after 9pm, there is a crunch of gravel in the fortified compound outside, and in walks a figure swathed in black save for a slit for his eyes.

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My Comment: These talks are just talks .... what the Taliban are looking at is the following ....

.... For all that their ranks have taken a hammering, courtesy of the US troop "surge" and drone attacks on their senior leaders, many believe that coalition plans to remove combat troops by 2014 mean it is now just a case of biding their time.

Indeed. In their minds they have already won, and it is just a matter of time before the Americans go away.