Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

US, Brits Press Plans for Taliban Talks

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 28, 2009 2:35 AM CDT
Email

(Newser) – British commanders backed by US officials aim to use the success of recent offensives to persuade mid-level Taliban leaders to come in for talks and give up the fight, the Guardian reports. Conditions are right for the "second-tier" leaders who control large numbers of fighters in southern Afghanistan to reconnect with the Afghan government, say commanders. The plan has even launched talk in London and Washington of an exit strategy.

"The Afghan government needs effective grassroots initiatives to offer an alternative for the foot soldiers of the insurgency,” Britain's foreign secretary told NATO members yesterday. "This means a clear route for former insurgents to return to their villages and go back to farming the land—or a role for some of them within the legitimate Afghan security forces.”

An Afghan soldier watches the street from a window ledge following suicide attacks in Gardez, the provincial capital of Paktiya province east of Kabul, Afghanistan, last week.
An Afghan soldier watches the street from a window ledge following suicide attacks in Gardez, the provincial capital of Paktiya province east of Kabul, Afghanistan, last week.   (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband gestures while speaking during a media conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels yesterday.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband gestures while speaking during a media conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels yesterday.   (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
Local Afghans help British soldiers to repair the track of a Warrior armored vehicle during Operation Panther's Claw in Afghanistan's Helmand Province earlier this month.
Local Afghans help British soldiers to repair the track of a Warrior armored vehicle during Operation Panther's Claw in Afghanistan's Helmand Province earlier this month.   (AP Photo/Sgt. Dan Harmer, Ministry of Defence, ho)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Showing 1 of 1 comment
kokuaguy
Jul 28, 2009 6:13 AM CDT
I can't believe that I'm the first to comment after all these hours. Where are those nasty trolls when we need them? What, no evidence here of secret Muslim Obama cravenly selling out the Bush insalled Karzai regime to Bin Ladin? No Fasco-Liberals lurking in the shadows? O.K. I'll play Charlie Brown. It looks to me like there is a fairly sensible strategy here that the military experts would have employed years ago if the Bush/Cheney Neo-crowd had not become obscessed with the ill-conceived, poorly executed debacle in Iraq.
Politics • US • World

 
Afghanistan • NATO • Taliban • insurgents • David Miliband • Afghanistan war • Afghanistan exit strategy

More Newser Stories

Taliban: Prince Harry Shouldn't Kill

US Eyes Switch to Special Ops in Afghanistan

Afghan Civilian Deaths Hit New High

Panetta: US Combat Role in Afghanistan Over in 2013

Backed By Pakistan, Taliban Set to Retake Afghanistan
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne