How the US Intends to End War with Taliban

A spring offensive from the Taliban has flared up in Afghanistan. More than 40 nations have troops there at a cost of $2 billon per week, reports Ahmed Rashid for the Financial Times. The US and NATO are intent on withdrawing by 2014, but a clean end requires more diplomacy than military force. “[T]he US now accepts – and is working on – a Taliban request to open a Taliban political office, most probably in a Gulf state,” Rashid writes. “With such an office there could be direct, unimpeded talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government and outsiders such as the Americans.” In engaging neighboring nations, attempting to promote dialogue with the Taliban and setting conditions, the US finds working with longtime ally Pakistan as difficult as controlling opponent Iran. The Pentagon would prefer keeping up to six military bases in Afghanistan, but China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran and many more, including US citizens, would oppose a permanent US presence. – YaleGlobal