Two weeks ago in Mecca, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia hosted talks between the Afghani government and the Taliban to begin dialogue on reconciliation between the two parties and reintroducing a large segment of the population into national institutions. Against the grain of American/NATO policy, the Sauds have once again been forced to go behind Western backs to seek stability in the region.
The situation seems oddly familiar — one side heralded by the West as part of long-term Middle East democratization, the other derided as a destabilizing, rogue organization that must be excluded at all costs. In February of 2007, the Sauds brought together Fatah and Hamas in spite of fervent American activity to remove Hamas from power, including direct coup attacks in Gaza. Though the Palestinian Unity government would hastily collapse, it showed that ‘radicalized’ elements could be brought into governing coalitions in the Middle East.
Like Hamas, the Talibans support is broad-based and entrenched within the socio-political fabric. The forceful strategy of NATO has isolated the Taliban to some degree but has failed to remove supporters or impact its activities, specifically in the Southeast provinces of Afghanistan. With the increased militant activity of the Taliban against infrastructure, any economic development that could potentially decrease the patronage of militant organizations is stymied.
Indeed, top officials in NATO are admitting that the Afghani war is not winnable via military tactics. Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith, Britain’s top military officer in Afghanistan, has said, “We’re not going to win this war.” At best, he says, international troops can hope to reduce it “to a manageable level of insurgency that’s not a strategic threat.”
For a viable Afghan state to emerge, elements of the Taliban must be engaged and some enveloped into a governing coalition. Lacking the will power and capability to destroy the Taliban by conventional military means, the West must seek out alternative methods of stabilizing Afghanistan. With direct diplomatic talks and promoting carrots over sticks, the West foster development within Afghanistan and allow for future political and social stability.
Sources
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/23612315/how_we_lost_the_war_we_won/print
Saudi hosts Afghan peace talks with Taliban reps, CNN
Solving the Problems of Afghanisan, The Economist
Facing Reality in Afghanistan: Talking with the Taliban, Time
The Coming Change of Course in Afghanistan
See Also: The Woe In Afghanistan, A Grand Bargain In Afghanistan?, Talking To The Taliban, A New Strategy for Afghanistan, Germany Renews Afghanistan Mandate, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Agree To Talk To Taliban, Al-Qaeda’s Progression On Pakistan’s Demise, Two Daring Attacks on US Troops in Afghanistan, Afghanistan/Pakistan: Talks with Taliban, US Air Strikes, NATO Hits its Limit, Bringing Freedom to Afghanistan, and US Changing Course, now Willing to Talk With Taliban.
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