Posted on Aug 12, 2015
SGT James Elphick
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In recent years there have been attempts to negotiate an end to the war in Afghanistan with the Taliban. However, all sides seem unwilling to stay at the table for long and the process has come in fits and starts. The US has stipulated that 3 things must happen: The Taliban lay down their arms, accept the Afghan constitution, and sever any and all ties with Al Qaeda.

See here for more info: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/afghanistan/2015-06-16/time-negotiate-afghanistan?cid=nlc-twofa-20150806&sp_mid=49266889&sp_rid=amVscGhpY2szNTA0QGdtYWlsLmNvbQS2
Posted in these groups: Afghanistan AfghanistanTaliban logo TalibanPeace logo Peace
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There is no future for Afghanistan that does not involve the Taliban in some way shape or form.
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SSG Warren Swan
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Negotiations are made from a position of power. Currently the US doesn't have that in Afghanistan. Not because of the military might, but due to lack of support from the Afghan government and the populace as a whole. The US is also lacking in the position of power from elements at home; the "glory" of the war has long faded and the reality of it has set in for the common civilian (hence the lack of American flags in yards compared to the beginning of hostilities), and the popular thing is now take care of me. Americans normally don't have long attention spans, and if we did we wouldn't constantly repeat the dumb sh*t we seem to like doing to ourselves.
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SSG Warren Swan
SSG Warren Swan
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MSgt Mike Mikulski - We tried that initially and the Russians did before us. Overall, neither worked. You could continue to do that again, and while it would seem cool initially, wear on airframes, personnel, and materiel would slow you down. Then on top of that, the cost would be astronomical and with the bean counters in congress, they would slow you down long before the bombs run out. There has to be a mix of the two (diplomacy and war fighting) and it has to be balanced, so that we show were serious to end it, but full on ready to carrying on bombing you. And again Americans are short sighted and don't really care about it as much as they used to unless you mention ISIS/ISIL in there for flavor. The Taliban (former Muj) waited out the Russians and the Taliban will wait us out. They're already on home turf, not us.
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TSgt Joshua Copeland
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Other, radical extremist generally cannot be negotiated with in good faith.
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