File photo: Members of the Taliban, like these pictured here, must be part of the Afghan peace process if it is to succeed, says Des Browne (Photo taken from The Daily Mail)From The Danger Room:
Everyone from Gen. David Petraeus to Gen. David McKiernan to Barack Obama thinks the U.S. needs to make some kind of political settlement with at least some of the Taliban. Sarah Chayes -- who's been living in Kandahar, the former Taliban capital, since 2001 -- says the locals there absolutely hate the idea.
"Negotiating with them wouldn't solve Afghanistan's problems; it would only exacerbate them," Chayes writes in an op-ed in yesterday's Washington Post. "Ask any Afghan what's really needed, what would render the Taliban irrelevant, and they'll tell you: improving the behavior of the officials whom the United States and its allies ushered into power after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks."
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My Comment: Hmmmm .... corrupt officials is probably just one part of a bigger problem. But if the culture was different, and decency and the rule of law being prevalent in Afghan society .... I am sure the situation would be slightly better.
Unfortunately, Afghanistan problems are deeply rooted in a 30 year history of violence and warfare that has destroyed the social fabric of the nation. To even remotely heal this "social fabric" ..... it will take decades and multi-billions of dollars before a sense of stability is achieved.
Afghanistan's only hope for the future is through education and the schooling of their young .... but even this institution is now being targeted by Islamic radicals and their allies.