Karzi is starting to see the light.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/01/karzai-rules-out-taliban-negotiations
the bigger question is: WHY has it taken so long for him to step back from the table?
It is US. He didn’t have a strong enough central gov’t to stand against the Taliban. (Especially a Taliban fortified with Pakistani support.)
Because of our fickle politicians and the fickle support of the US people, he can’t be sure that we’ll be there to back him up a year from now. We have a bad reputation of getting everybody riled up, then leaving our allies hanging when the public gets bored.
So he’s had to play both sides of the table - try to get Taliban cooperation - so that he won’t be crushed by a bug when we drop him like a hot potato.
The fact that he’s finally ready to stop playing with the terrorists tells me that he’s finally in a strong enough position to defend his administration after we leave.
And of course I know that Pakistan is a major problem. They’re supporting and sheltering Taliban terrorists as we speak.
I can read.
That needs to be dealt with at the State Department and UN levels. A combination of ‘carrot and stick’ incentives (sanctions/aid) might give them the motivation to start rounding the terrorists up instead of sheltering them and avoid an expansion of military conflict.
I would only wish that those who pray at the alter of self grandizing, power hungry, perfumed princes would be cast aside and let our warriors execute orders that will bring decisive victories.
When we see our heroes cast in prison or killed or maimed for no other reason than a misguided sense of fairness or sensitivity towards an adversary bent on using our tweaked R.O.Es, when 65 NCIS, congressmen, news media etc., can not present a case so they leave a Marine twisting in the wind for 6 years.....it can't help lose but faith in our leadership.