The Taliban will open up a political office in Qatar. This is the first step in the long process of negotiating an end to fighting in Afghanistan. The Taliban will now have a place from which to negotiate with out the fear of being arrested or assassinated by NATO or the Afghans. This will also cut down on imposters posing as Taliban negotiators. Imposters have infiltrated high level secret talks with the Americans in recent years. It seems as if the Unites States has finally woke up to the fact that the Taliban does not pose a threat to their national security. In exchange for the office in Qatar the Taliban has asked for the release of several detainees in Guantanamo Bay, as well as recognition from the UN that the Taliban is an opposition group. So far the U.S. has not confirmed anything substantive about the Taliban’s demands. Armed conflicts don’t end with fighting though; they end with negotiations. It may be a hard pill for many to swallow, especially here in the U.S., but this is what peace looks like. Neither side is going to achieve victory in this war. We can achieve an end to fighting though, and begin the long process of reconciliation.
Porkins Policy Review 