![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
President Karzai appointed a former President of Afghanistan to head peace negotiations with the Taliban. The Taliban sent a pretend negotiator - one of two; the other must have known what was going ot happen - who blew himself up along with the ex-President.
You would have thought this would give you an idea of what the Taliban think of peace. But not if you are a BBC "journalist". The wretch sent to Afghanistan concluded his report by wondering aloud what concessions could be offered to encourage the Taliban back to the negotiating table, and blaming the victim for being "a deeply divisive figure". The BBC needs a few dozen of its own people to be bloodily and publicly murdered: they seem to have forgotten the meaning of the act of murder.
You would have thought this would give you an idea of what the Taliban think of peace. But not if you are a BBC "journalist". The wretch sent to Afghanistan concluded his report by wondering aloud what concessions could be offered to encourage the Taliban back to the negotiating table, and blaming the victim for being "a deeply divisive figure". The BBC needs a few dozen of its own people to be bloodily and publicly murdered: they seem to have forgotten the meaning of the act of murder.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-21 06:57 am (UTC)But the only way to get the majority of the Taliban as a whole to negotiate sincerely is to leverage their Pakistani backers. The Haqqani Network can be tempted with power sharing in the east since that's their main goal, although even then the hand of Pakistan's ISI is pulling strings.
You're also dealing with Pashtuns, whose culture indeed involves negotiations...but in the context of fighting. You cannot separate the two so easily.
So apart from continued military pressure, it's all about involving and/or outmaneuvering certain Pakistani elements. Otherwise the Afghan government (national and provincial), and local communities (especially!) will have to continue to fight back. The good news is that we can continue to put pressure on Pakistan even after we have left Afghanistan in large numbers due to our continued presence in the region and diplomatic/economic reach.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-21 08:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-21 08:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-21 09:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-21 08:05 pm (UTC)Maybe it's just for ratings. Still, I can't help but think some people in our countries WANT their own nation, or a Western one, to lose out in global relations, whether we are talking Afghanistan, Ireland, Israel, etc.
Who in America or UK (press or otherwise) would actually root for the Tablian or Hamas, except those who are convinced the West is some evil empire, or that just because someone is at a disadvantage that they are being oppressed/victimized?
no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 06:36 pm (UTC)