The U.S. no longer sees victory as a possibility in Afghanistan. Political and military leaders are now focused on getting out with a facade of honor. This has created a surreal situation: The U.S. is negotiating directly with the Taliban, the enemy it sought to remove from power almost 18 years ago. These “peace” talks are going on even as the Taliban has started its spring offensive. To add to the absurdity, the Afghan government, America’s own creation, has been excluded from the negotiations because the Taliban, our common enemy, demanded it.

Source: Wall Street Journal May 01, 2019 22:30 UTC