- Renewed optimism for Afghan peace talks
For the American leadership, the unprecedented scenes of harmony and goodwill that accompanied the June Eidul Fitr ceasefire and fraternal interaction between Taliban fighters, government soldiers and ordinary civilians, was the flash that lit up the reality of the seventeen year old Afghan war better than anything else. Signs of war weariness and the gut craving for return to normalcy on the part of fierce antagonists were all too apparent during the three day official truce. The Taliban fighters behaved mildly, made selfies, ate goodies and enjoyed the common comforts that towns provide, these over-friendly proceedings being frowned upon by senior Taliban command.
But the equally surprised US leadership figured such spontaneous bonhomie could be well employed as a stepping stone towards that urgently desired but most elusive of goals, an overall political solution of the long drawn war-without-end. An apparent diktat to envoys by an impatient President Trump, disillusioned over the static Afghan situation, to speed things up regarding preliminary direct negotiations with the Taliban after another ill-counselled military recourse, shuttle diplomacy by Mike Pompeo and Alice Wells to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the former’s June 16 statement indicated a major policy shift not only in willingness to talk directly to the Taliban, but also to discuss the all-important matter of international troops. On Monday, the top US commander in Afghanistan, Gen John Nicholson, also joined the act, reiterating the newfound willingness for direct talks with the Taliban and acknowledging US realisation of its key role in any Afghan peace.
Better late than never, and the Qatar-based Taliban group too reciprocated in a conciliatory tone, dropping the long-held pre-condition of foreign troops withdrawal before talks, and being amenable to other US concerns, which perhaps include future terrorist threat posed to it by Afghanistan-based groups, or power-sharing formula with other political parties, among others. Afghanistan, under pragmatic president Ashraf Ghani, too is willing, despite intense internal bickering, while much reviled Pakistan needs to mirror the US-Taliban retreat from rigid stances, and do it’s bit in the changed favourable circumstances for lasting peace in Afghanistan and the region’s common welfare. There is present now, a rare window of opportunity, a blueprint for peace.
