Is it a good idea to reconcile with the Taliban?

[james50]

U.S. Wrestling With Olive Branch for Taliban - NYTimes.com

So the U.S. after sending 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan, are now considering to negotiate with the Taliban through peace talks with some of its lower-level members. But, they are also in doubt because the Taliban might take over the Afghan politics this way.

I want to have a discussion as to whether it is a good idea or not to reconcile with the Taliban? What are some things that we don't know of and could backfire with regard to either reconciling or not-reconciling?

What do yall think?

 

[SFC Ollie]

U.S. Wrestling With Olive Branch for Taliban - NYTimes.com

So the U.S. after sending 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan, are now considering to negotiate with the Taliban through peace talks with some of its lower-level members. But, they are also in doubt because the Taliban might take over the Afghan politics this way.

I want to have a discussion as to whether it is a good idea or not to reconcile with the Taliban? What are some things that we don't know of and could backfire with regard to either reconciling or not-reconciling?

What do yall think?

Reconcile with a regime that we have basically been at war with for 8 years? A regime which would definitely attempt to retake control of Afghanistan, and to reinstate it's Sharia Law? That would then set freedom for Afghans back to 2001 standards. No school for females etc....

No not a good Idea.

 

[Sunni Man]

The Taliban was never our enemy in the first place.

We invaded their country looking for a guest of theirs.

Naturally, they resisted being invaded and occupied as would any citizen.

We need to pull out and leave Afghanistain to the Afghan people.

If they want to be under Taliban rule and have Sharia Law.

It's none of our business.

 

[Wry Catcher]

The Taliban is not one entity; it is a collection of individuals.
Yes, we should attempt to work with those members of the Taliban who are not fixated in an extremist ideology.
Those who believe all persons under the command and control of the leaders of the Taliban think and act the same are fools.

 

[james50]

What self-interests does the U.S. have in fighting with the Taliban? Besides wanting to simply crush the "terrorist organization", what other interest and motives does the administration have? Because there are other extremist Islamic groups like the Chechen rebels in Caucasus, why isn't U.S. fighting "war on terrorism" there?

 

[james50]

And when the war first begun, did U.S. first tried to reconcile with the peace talks with the Taliban or did they immediately used the military force and deployed troops?

 

[Colin]

What self-interests does the U.S. have in fighting with the Taliban? Besides wanting to simply crush the "terrorist organization", what other interest and motives does the administration have? Because there are other extremist Islamic groups like the Chechen rebels in Caucasus, why isn't U.S. fighting "war on terrorism" there?

Do a bit of reading up on the subject, then you won't have to ask such stupid questions!

 

[Sunni Man]

Using a former enemy to further our agenda isn't an unusual tactic.

At the end of WWII many former Nazis were given positions of power in the new German government.

 

[geauxtohell]

It's a good idea, and it's been going on in some way, shape, or form since I was there in 2004/5.

 

[ihopehefails]

U.S. Wrestling With Olive Branch for Taliban - NYTimes.com

So the U.S. after sending 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan, are now considering to negotiate with the Taliban through peace talks with some of its lower-level members. But, they are also in doubt because the Taliban might take over the Afghan politics this way.

I want to have a discussion as to whether it is a good idea or not to reconcile with the Taliban? What are some things that we don't know of and could backfire with regard to either reconciling or not-reconciling?

What do yall think?

Negotiating with lower levels could weaken their entire organization and point us to where the taliban is hiding Osama.

 

[Liability]

Is it a good idea to reconcile with the Taliban?

Yukon is looking forward to the "make-up" sex.

 

[blu]

we will never defeat the taliban through military means. its like attempting to kill all the republicans in america.

 

[Tommy Lucchese]

U.S. Wrestling With Olive Branch for Taliban - NYTimes.com

So the U.S. after sending 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan, are now considering to negotiate with the Taliban through peace talks with some of its lower-level members. But, they are also in doubt because the Taliban might take over the Afghan politics this way.

I want to have a discussion as to whether it is a good idea or not to reconcile with the Taliban? What are some things that we don't know of and could backfire with regard to either reconciling or not-reconciling?

What do yall think?

We're not going after the hardcore Taliban, we're going after the rural Pashtuns who have no other choice but to ally themselves with them, the other option being death.

Turning the civilian population against the insurgents is the most important part of a counterinsurgency strategy. You can't kill your way out of an insurgency.

 

[Tommy Lucchese]

I think killing people for a decade-plus is punishment enough for their leadership having bad houseguests.

I can't figure out why we're even still there, let alone with triple the number of troops.