Taliban guarantee offer on al Qaeda???

I agree with you that the Taliban are offering to negotiate because they feel pressured but I don't think this means we turn them down since we have a chance to annhilate them. The Taliban are very resilient and even if they feel pressured doesn't mean they are down for the count. If we can convince come of them to lay down their arms or switch allegiances like we did with the Iraqi Sunnis that will greatly improve things.

At the moment though I don't think this offer should change are military strategy but I don't think it should be completely rejected.

 

Consider this though if the Taliban are now offering to sever all ties to Al Qaeda wouldn't that mean that they are still currently allied with and sheltering Al Qaeda otherwise this is a meaningless offer.

 

I appreciate that you love America and have great faith in our 20 year old soldiers but this is just silly. The Taliban is the major political organization of Afghanistan's largest tribal group, the Pathuns. They have lived there for thousands of years and will continue to do so.

Just because the Taliban could conquer the rest of the country and hold it has nothing to say about whether a hundred thousand American troops on random rotations from US life, who don't speak the language or know the customs and are basically hated foreigners can to the same thing.

 

Hopefully you will enlist now as you might not get your chance in 18 months. Still time.

 

This is a point that is worth repeating. If I could give rep points, I'd give some here for sure.

 

our goal isn't to convince the people that the Taliban are bad - most Afghanis already know that anyway.

It's to get the gov't of Afghanistan to be stable enough that they can fight the Taliban on their own.

 

Well, I have to add a caveat to this...as a Canadian, it is more like 12 months.

And take this how you will, but I am considering enlisting to participate in Afghanistan. I truly believe it is a just cause. Parents and a solid job/school are obstacles but I really think this is a war worth fighting.

Btw, if we're delving into personal motivations over an internet debate that has little to nothing to do with them, can I kindly ask you, considering your extremist left views, if you would ever be willing to fight...for anything?