Comments on: Do I Talk About the Karzai-Taliban Negotiations in Platitudes? http://washingtonindependent.com/16218/do-i-talk-about-the-karzai-taliban-negotiations-in-platitudes National News in Context Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:58:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: ufred http://washingtonindependent.com/16218/do-i-talk-about-the-karzai-taliban-negotiations-in-platitudes/comment-page-1#comment-38155 ufred Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:59:01 +0000 http://washingtonindependent.com/?p=16218#comment-38155 "But attempting to negotiate is cost-free."<br>Well, what if the attempt succeeds? Would you say that negotiating is cost-free?<br>Do you have any idea of what good would come from negotiation at present?<br>Are you being careful about what you wish for? “But attempting to negotiate is cost-free.”
Well, what if the attempt succeeds? Would you say that negotiating is cost-free?
Do you have any idea of what good would come from negotiation at present?
Are you being careful about what you wish for?

]]> By: ufred http://washingtonindependent.com/16218/do-i-talk-about-the-karzai-taliban-negotiations-in-platitudes/comment-page-1#comment-11242 ufred Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:59:01 +0000 http://washingtonindependent.com/?p=16218#comment-11242 "But attempting to negotiate is cost-free."<br>Well, what if the attempt succeeds? Would you say that negotiating is cost-free?<br>Do you have any idea of what good would come from negotiation at present?<br>Are you being careful about what you wish for? “But attempting to negotiate is cost-free.”
Well, what if the attempt succeeds? Would you say that negotiating is cost-free?
Do you have any idea of what good would come from negotiation at present?
Are you being careful about what you wish for?

]]> By: Joshua Foust http://washingtonindependent.com/16218/do-i-talk-about-the-karzai-taliban-negotiations-in-platitudes/comment-page-1#comment-11116 Joshua Foust Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:16:53 +0000 http://washingtonindependent.com/?p=16218#comment-11116 Spencer, I think I should clarify: I only singled you out because I read your site and you were <i>right there</i> in my RSS reader. But you're not alone -- I think this is a problem that is entrenched in the entire foreign policy establishment. Literally everyone does it -- from Kaplan saying we just need to solve India-Pakistan to win, to Rubin and Rashid saying we just need to solve the Durand Line and apply "governance" (both are simplifications, but you get my point).<br><br>I think the general bits of what needs to happen has been known for a good six years at this point -- it's why Karzai has been trying to integrate former and current "moderate" Taliban ever since their government fell. But he's had at best spotty success.<br><br>Looking at the why behind <i>that</i>, and not just that yet another bi-annual round of "integrating the Taliban" talks is under way, I think, would yield deeper answers. But we're not there yet -- any of us, including me. I know there is a deeper issue at play, whether historical cycles of power-sharing, ethnic conflict patterns, even recent dynamics in community dispute. But I'm not there, so I can't say for sure.<br><br>We need to split off reconciliable Taliban. That's settled. I'm just curious as to how. I've not figure it out yet. And we need to be willing to accept that there might not be a way we can. But that kind of theorization hasn't happened yet, at least not publicly. That's what I was getting at. Spencer, I think I should clarify: I only singled you out because I read your site and you were right there in my RSS reader. But you're not alone — I think this is a problem that is entrenched in the entire foreign policy establishment. Literally everyone does it — from Kaplan saying we just need to solve India-Pakistan to win, to Rubin and Rashid saying we just need to solve the Durand Line and apply “governance” (both are simplifications, but you get my point).

I think the general bits of what needs to happen has been known for a good six years at this point — it's why Karzai has been trying to integrate former and current “moderate” Taliban ever since their government fell. But he's had at best spotty success.

Looking at the why behind that, and not just that yet another bi-annual round of “integrating the Taliban” talks is under way, I think, would yield deeper answers. But we're not there yet — any of us, including me. I know there is a deeper issue at play, whether historical cycles of power-sharing, ethnic conflict patterns, even recent dynamics in community dispute. But I'm not there, so I can't say for sure.

We need to split off reconciliable Taliban. That's settled. I'm just curious as to how. I've not figure it out yet. And we need to be willing to accept that there might not be a way we can. But that kind of theorization hasn't happened yet, at least not publicly. That's what I was getting at.

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