The road map to the Afghan endgame

[Jefferson23]

Some Taliban may set up an office in Doha, but will all Americans actually leave Kabul?

Last Modified: 07 Jan 2012 11:23

New York, New York - Once upon a time they favoured Dubai - their smuggling Mecca. Now the Taliban go-to destination of choice will be Doha.

So the Taliban will open a political office in Qatar to be engaged in negotiations "with the international community", according to Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid.

Afghan president Hamid Karzai wanted the office to be either in Turkey or Saudi Arabia. The Obama administration applied some screws - Karzai had to accept Qatar. So much for the "sovereignty" of the man informally known as the mayor of Kabul.

The Doha operation was strictly a US, German, Qatari and Taliban "representatives" affair. Doha was specifically picked by the Obama administration. The concept of a reward was clear - as in Qatar's solid, unconditional partnership with NATO, which, by the way, is spectacularly losing a war in Afghanistan.

in full: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/01/20121610014530356.html

[msongs]

1. stated reason for our invasion was to get Al Queda, NOT the taliban. nt

[Muskypundit]

2. Which is why we are talking to the Taliban and not Al Queda