Afghan Leaders Are Trying To Make Peace With The Pakistani Taliban And What's Left Of Al Qaeda

A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter carries a shipping container during retrograde operations and base closures in Afghanistan's Wardak province, Oct. 26, 2013. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Peter Smedberg

Afghanistan And Pakistan Scramble For The Favor Of Al Qaeda -- Dan Murphy, Christian Science Monitor

As the US military presence winds down, Afghan leaders are hedging their bets, looking to protect themselves. Like allying with the very groups the US ousted in 2001. Messy? You bet.

The US war in Afghanistan could turn into a pumpkin as soon as the middle of November.

That's when a national meeting of tribal leaders and other notable Afghans will hold a so-called loya jirga and vote on whether to meet the Obama administration's terms for keeping troops in the country beyond the end of 2014.

If they vote no, it will all be over but the packing, shipping, and destroying of military infrastructure. Whatever the Afghans decide about an extended US presence, the US involvement in offensive operations is sure to decline, just as its role in "nation building" is winding down. That means Afghans have gaps to fill when it comes to influence and power projection.

As the New York Times reported on Tuesday, the US-installed and -supported Afghan government is wasting little time. The plan? Make friends with the Pakistani Taliban and what's left of Al Qaeda's network in Pakistan.

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My Comment: With allies like this .... who needs enemies.