6) Too few people in Congress and the mainstream media are asking tough questions about the proposed military escalation in Afghanistan, writes Katrina vanden Heuvel for The Nation. Many argue that only increased presence of US troops will create the security needed for delivery of aid, but the Karzai government is too corrupt and too weak outside of Kabul to ensure that the aid goes to the people who need it. A negotiated settlement with elements of the Taliban would create far greater stability than we could ever hope to achieve through an escalation. Some say US troops are needed to protect Afghan girls and women. But many Afghan women activists and organizations have called for a withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. A regional solution will be tough, as will a negotiated settlement between the Karzai government and the Taliban. But these should be the priorities of the Obama Administration, rather than sending more young men and women to die in Afghanistan and making this President Obama’s War.
“A negotiated settlement with elements of the Taliban would create far greater stability than we could ever hope to achieve through an escalation.” No duh.
Tell Katrina vanden Hueval that they’ve been there, done that. To make this statement that “Many argue that only increased presence of US troops will create the security needed for delivery of aid…” is yet another crafty use of weasel words. I have to ask for a quantification of this statement because there may be a few, but not many who pound the table for more soldiers. Obama used the issue of “the right war” during the campaign to balance himself against McCain. That meme is dying fast. I think that Obama fully understands the need for high level diplomacy in Afghanistan.
President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan asked Saudi King Abdullah to get involved and lead the diplomatic effort to devise an agreement between Karzai’s government and the Taliban.
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai
President Karzai says that as a leader of the Islamic world, he has been urging the Saudi king to help the Afghan government in establishing peace, security and reconciliation in the country. He reiterated his call for peace with fugitive Taliban leader, Mullah Omar. Calling on the insurgent Taliban leader as his brother, the Afghan president urged Mullah Omar to stop the killing of his people and return home to work for the peace and security of Afghanistan.
This happened just three months ago in October during the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan in Mecca. The meeting was called by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi King Abdullah
The historic four-day meeting took place during the last week of September in the Saudi city of Mecca, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.
King Abdullah broke fast during the Eid al-Fitr holiday with the 17-member Afghan delegation — an act intended to show his commitment to ending the conflict.
The talks took place between September 24 and 27 and involved 11 Taliban delegates, two Afghan government officials, a representative of former mujahadeen commander and U.S. foe Gulbadin Hekmatyar, and three others.
The big news to emerge from the meeting was from Mullah Omar, the Taliban leader. Although he snubbed the king by not showing, he released statements through the Taliban delegation that he was no longer affiliated with Al-Qaeda. The group of negotiators signaled that talking is the only way to peace, and that it may take some time.
During the talks, all parties agreed that the only solution to Afghanistan’s conflict is through dialogue, not fighting. The source described the Mecca talks as an ice-breaking meeting where expectations were kept necessarily low.
Further talks are expected in Saudi Arabia involving this core group and others.
They say this will be a long process. It is a much welcomed process from a war weary U.S..
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