Tom Hussain, Al Jazeera: Afghanistan: Taliban won't talk because it is winning
The situation in Afghanistan provides no incentive for the Taliban to negotiate with the Afghan government.
With an air of inevitability, efforts by the Quadrilateral Coordination Group - comprising Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the United States - to persuade the Taliban to engage in face-to-face peace negotiations have stalled.
Diplomats with the group, know as the QCG, have expressed the hope that the Taliban's refusal to talk is a leverage tactic, and that Pakistan would be able to bully and cajole the insurgent movement's leaders resident in Pakistan into changing their decision not to participate.
It certainly would be characteristic of Afghan politics if that were to happen. However, the existing situation in Afghanistan provides no incentive whatsoever for the Taliban to negotiate with the Kabul-based government.
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WNU Editor: The Taliban have come a long way since they were driven out 15 years ago .... so yes .... why negotiate ... what is the incentive for them to go to the table. My guess is that this war will need to grind on for a few more years before any meaningful peace talks can really begin.