Possible positive change?

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/10/05/afghan.saudi.talks/index.html

Change doesn't happen overnight, but I must say I feel a bit warm & fuzzy in the heart region after reading this.

[kagenaki koe]

McCain and Palin will say that's an irresponsible thing to do.

[dubman]

oh buddy
do yr best rodney dangerfield impression here

[BeautifulBurnout]

It is a step in the right direction but my gut tells me that until occupying forces are withdrawn from Afghan territory, the Taliban (a splinter group of the Mujahideen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mujahideen) - remember when they were on our side, guys, when the Russkies were the occupiers? ;) ) are just going to keep on fighting.

Edit: Interesting development here (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/06/afghanistan.military) too.

Britain is stepping up pressure for a political and diplomatic settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan, a move set in sharp relief yesterday by the commander of UK troops who warned that the war against the Taliban was not going to be won.


The message is being delivered with increasing urgency by British military commanders, diplomats and intelligence officers, to Nato allies and governments in the region, the Guardian has learned.


"We're not going to win this war," Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith said yesterday. "It's about reducing it to a manageable level of insurgency that's not a strategic threat and can be managed by the Afghan army. We may well leave with there still being a low but steady ebb of rural insurgency."


Two things spring to mind: 1. The West is running out of money to waste on stupid wars. 2. At this critical point in the run-up to the US elections, neither party will want to be seen as backing down, so it is up to the Brits to be mooting this, for the time being. But as soon as November 5th has come and gone, the US will be toeing the same line.

[BeautifulBurnout]

...and Robert Gates keeps the blinkers on (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7656101.stm). Or maybe he is just trying to keep the wool over the electorate's eyes.

"We are winning the war. No, really we are. Honest. Well, we have just about won it. This is nothing like 'Nam at all..."

:rolleyes:

[IsiliRunite]

Its possible they might be doing this to renegotiate in the future after the United States does something they don't like, trying to gain international credibility or sympathy.

I hope they want genuine peace though. A pacifist president might do this country well in the future.