"whoooooah duuudes -- where's the Republic?"
Posted on 06/18/2013 8:09:09 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
US to open direct Taliban talks
The US is to open direct peace talks with the Taliban, senior White House officials have announced.
The first meeting is due to take place in the coming days in Doha, Qatar, where the Taliban have just opened their first official overseas office.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai said his government is also sending a delegation to Qatar to talk to the Taliban.
The announcement came on the day Nato handed over security for the whole of Afghanistan to government forces.
US officials said prisoner exchanges would be one topic for discussion with the Taliban, but the first weeks will mainly be used to explore each other's agendas.
However, the talks are on condition that the Taliban renounce violence, break ties with al-Qaeda and respect the Afghan constitution - including the rights of women and minorities.
US officials said this was the first step on a very long road, adding that there was no guarantee of success.
Although senior US officials describe the latest move as a milestone on the road to peace, others will feel it is nearer to treason, says BBC North America Editor Mark Mardell. 'Puppets of the US'
On Tuesday, the Taliban issued a statement saying that one of the main aims of their Doha office was "to meet Afghans".
The statement said they would also make contact with UN, regional and international organisations as well as non-governmental institutions.
After opening the "political bureau" in Doha alongside Qatari officials, Taliban representative Mohammed Naeem told reporters the group wanted good relations with Afghanistan's neighbouring countries.
In the past, the Taliban have always refused to meet President Karzai or his government, dismissing them as puppets of the US.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
What a horrible affront to the memories of all those killed and maimed in the fight for freedom from these bacteria.
The islamist in Chief shows his true colors for all to see.
The official handover of responsibility for security in Afghanistan from Nato to local forces has been marked by a deadly blast. The explosion in the west of Kabul killed three people and injured 30.
Officials said a suicide bomber targeted Mohammed Mohaqiq, a prominent Hazara policymaker in the region and Afghanistan's second vice-president....
Scores of Nato and local officials had gathered to mark the official handover - a significant milestone 12 years after a Nato coalition went in to Afghanistan to expel the Taliban in the wake of the 9/11 attacks....
The Taliban insurgency has been intensifying after the militant group declared a spring offensive. According to UN figures, more than 3,000 civilians were killed between January and June this year, a sharp increase from the 2012 count.
agreed.
11 years of wasted lives and treasure.
One of the tenets of Ingsoc is that you NEVER win a war. We haven’t since 1945.
Taliban to Obama this is our consession- Convert to Islam or death pick one.
What say you, Achmed??
Afghani-effing-stan! Where are the hippies now??!!
Uhuh. What’s their percentage of the record Opium crop/profits gonna be?
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