Brown: 'It's time to talk to the Taliban'

[Arawn-ap-Hywel]

Brown: 'It's time to talk to the Taliban' - Independent Online Edition > World Politics

As the deadliest year in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion in 2001 comes to a close, Gordon Brown is ready to talk to the Taliban in a major shift in strategy that is likely to cause consternation among hardliners in the White House. Six years after British troops were first deployed to oust the Taliban regime, the Prime Minister believes the time has come to open a dialogue in the hope of moving from military action to consensus-building among the tribal leaders. Since 1 January, more than 6,200 people have been killed in violence related to the insurgency, including 40 British soldiers. In total, 86 British troops have died. The latest casualty was Sergeant Lee Johnson, whose vehicle hit a mine before the fall of Taliban-held town of Musa Qala. The Cabinet yesterday approved a three-pronged plan that Mr Brown will outline for security to be provided by Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) and the Afghan national army, followed by economic and political development in Afghanistan. But the intention to engage Taliban leaders in a constructive dialogue, which Mr Brown will make clear in a parliamentary statement today, will be by far the most controversial element of the plan. A senior Downing Street source confirmed the move last night and one Brown aide who accompanied the Prime Minister on his recent visit to Kabul, said: "We need to ask who are we fighting? Do we need to fight them? Can we be talking to them?"

[brien]

I say while Brown talks to the Taliban, the US leaves and redeploys all of its troops and hardware back to the US. Let others talk while the US takes action. The Taliban is not our problem until they show up at our borders.

[Praxius]

Bout time someone did this.... the days of when full scale war will defeat your enemies are long gone.

[Charlatan]

So what do the Taliban want? If they got what they wanted they would stop fighting with America, unless America still wanted to fight with them. Being a political thing they probably want some changes in their own local governments, and that America cannot give them. They want to be placed back in power, but that is impossible as the people - the majority - will not want that, and in an election they would lose. So what are they fighting for, if their people are happy then they should be too, if they think their taking control of Afghanistan will make things better then they need to make a case and plead with the people, not try to dominate the local governmnet corruptly. What do the people think, do they want the Taliban in control? If they did then they would all be joining up and the war would be futile, as the civilian population would all be 'the enemy'. So what can the Taliban do, they are not wanted there and are being driven out, or pushed that way. Because they say that it is correct to fight for what they believe in doesn't seem to garner much support, so they should stop fighting for the power they crave. They are classed as a religiously inspired movement, but I think it is easy to get support from the young people and tell them that they are fighting for their God rather than the wrong reasons. What God would want the people to be ruled by a ruler they didn't vote for? Is it their rights above others to be kings over the many?

They cannot have what they want, if they even beat the local army alone and instilled martial law then the people would replace them eventually and go back to doing what they want, not what they are told to do by some guys with guns. The guys with the guns will soon find that they have access to all the money, but not to govern the now complex country, which is where the normal people come in and replace them. Are they planning to hold guns to the heads fo each person as they make a decision? Then what is wrong with the decisions that are being made now by eductaed people for the good of the country? They are fighting for nothing but their personal gain, and if they have an idea they want to share they should consult the relevant people and not try to force them to do things their way, as they are a few people, and the country has many people to consider.

[grandpa]

Quote by: Charlatan So what do the Taliban want? If they got what they wanted they would stop fighting with America, unless America still wanted to fight with them.

More importantly, what do the Afghan people want? Whether or not it would be workable should be up to them, not up to America or the Taliban.

Grandpa h.

[PatC]

How do you negotiate with a group that does not clearly define its intended goals? They sometimes talk of destroying American and Israel and spreading the rule of Sharia law. The rest is jibber jabber rants and raves about America and Israel being evil. At least Hamas, IRA, ETA, Tamil Tigers and the like, exist to achieve a realistic goal that have legitimate historical and political roots.

[grandpa]

Quote by: PatC How do you negotiate with a group that does not clearly define its intended goals? They sometimes talk of destroying American and Israel and spreading the rule of Sharia law.

Well, one way is to have their messages and positioning honestly portrayed in
the media. That isn't often done. I'm not defending the Taliban here, but the mainstream media has not presented Americans with as much as it could.

And again, what do the people want? According to a survey by the State Department's Office
of Research, 92 percent of those surveyed in Najaf
favored an Islamic state; in Basra, 31 percent preferred an
Islamic state and 23 percent wanted a mix of democracy and
Islam.
(washingtonpost.com: Iraqis Split in Survey Over Government and Role Islam Would Play in It)

This survey may be accurate.

Grandpa h.