U.S., Taliban Reach Agreement on Reduced Violence Before Possible Peace Deal
“Intra-Afghan negotiations will start soon thereafter, and will build on this fundamental step to deliver a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire and the future political roadmap for Afghanistan.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that America and the Taliban in Afghanistan have reached an agreement to reduce violence for a week.
The two sides could potentially form a peace deal by the time the agreement ends.
From The Washington Free Beacon:
“The United States and the Taliban have been engaged in extensive talks to facilitate a political settlement to end the war in Afghanistan, reduce United States and Allied Forces presence, and ensure that no terrorist group ever uses Afghan soil to threaten the United States or our allies,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said early Friday in a statement.
The agreement, being referred to officially as a “reduction in violence” accord, will pave the way for the Trump administration and the Taliban to engage in peace talks that could see most American forces finally exit the country. The first prong of this agreement will go into effect later tonight, U.S. officials said.
“In recent weeks, in consultation with the Government of National Unity, U.S. negotiators in Doha have come to an understanding with the Taliban on a significant and nationwide reduction in violence across Afghanistan,” Pompeo said.
“Upon a successful implementation of this understanding, signing of the U.S.-Taliban agreement is expected to move forward. We are preparing for the signing to take place on February 29,” according to the secretary of state. “Intra-Afghan negotiations will start soon thereafter, and will build on this fundamental step to deliver a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire and the future political roadmap for Afghanistan. The only way to achieve a sustainable peace in Afghanistan is for Afghans to come together and agree on the way forward.”
“Challenges remain, but the progress made in Doha provides hope and represents a real opportunity,” Pompeo said. “The United States calls on all Afghans to seize this moment.”
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that “both parties will now create a ‘suitable security situation’ ahead of signing a final accord ‘in the presence of international observers on Feb. 29.'”
One U.S. official told The Wall Street Journal that the government decided not to call the agreement a cease-fire. The official could not provide specifications on how the government would measure “compliance with a reduction in violence.”
The agreement faces challenges “from political developments in Afghanistan.” Some politicians have challenged President Ashraf Ghani’s win in September. Afghanistan’s election commission confirmed this week that Ghani did win in September.
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Comments
I’m skeptical but I hope it works.
Oh, yeah, I believe these Muslims; that they’ll honor their word in any peace deal with the kafir (derogatory Muzziespeak for nonbeliever of Islam). And I’ll ignore entirely 1400 years of consistent Islamic behavior.
Now pull my other finger.
Three choices: abort them now (pun intended), cancel them later, or assimilate and integrate them. Oh, and avoid diversity breeds adversity. #PrinciplesMatter
That said, there is always the Gaddafi option or another quid pro Bo.
Whatever it takes to get the hell out of there. Afghanistan is unfixable, and we should have left years ago. If they start causing trouble again, just do what we should have done the first time: unleash hell, kill their leaders, then leave.
What is it they say: “The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect a different result”.
Sounds like another “decent interval” situation to me.
So, after 18 years we’re going to just give the whole country back to the Taliban??? What the hell was all that blood and treasure for then?
Perhaps the blood and treasure was for the swamp and their handlers.
One thing to consider is the Taliban now is not the Taliban of back then. We’ve seen five or six changeovers in power over the years, mostly through forced retirements. Perhaps evolution will take hold. We’ll see.
Everything after the first few months was wasted. To remain in order to justify what we have lost would be to succumb to the sunk cost fallacy.
I suspect the resistance to any peace will be from the swamp and the Dems. The Afgahns and the Taliban will be out in the open whereas the swamp will be undermining, leaking, backstabbing, and generally lying as the status quo is power and money to them.
Afghans
I am confused as to how the Democrats will respond to this?
Will they suddenly rediscover that once again they are the party of war (as well as the party of death for the unborn)?
Reduced violence?!?
Sure, we agree to only kill 5 a week, instead of the dozen previously……