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June 20th, 2011
05:32 AM ET
Question of the Day: Should the US negotiate with the Taliban?
Defense Secretary Robert Gates acknowledged on Sunday that the United States has begun preliminary talks with members of the Taliban as part of an effort to end the war in Afghanistan.
American Morning wants to know: Should the US negotiate with the Taliban?
Post your answer here. Your response might be included in this morning’s broadcast.
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To be honest, with all that the Taliban has done globally in recent history do we as a global community feel it would work and bring peace in the end?
Look, The Taliban is just a name given to an ideology. Afghan fighters are a fragmented society, and do not possess an organized leadership, or process to negotiate with. The Afghan Government does. Americans need to push the Afhan government to make contact with all those dispersed groups of militia men and bring them into their own umbrella if they want to have peace in their own country. I dont see why an American intervention is needed other than financially.
NO! Never
If we can speak to someone who represents the Taliban, yes we should. The Taliban remember are a bunch of tribal groups. They are not terroristist who attacked us. We came into their country and yes they used terroristist tactics but it is all they have. Talking with them now would be a good idea. They know they are not going to get back their country unless they compromise.
what's the saying about keeping your friends close but keeping your enemies closer?! 🙂
So soon we forget history. We talked to them when we put them into power and gave them arms. Why not talk to them to end this fighting?
NO The us should never negotiate with terrorist.
We should NEVER negotiate with the Taliban as such. The Taliban is just as bad a NAZIs. We would have been with our rights to go and eliminate them even without 9-11. Look at just what they did to women in there country-how they KILLED women for teaching little girls. The Taliban is scourge that needs to be eliminated from the face of the earth.
Absolutely not. What ever happened to, "we don't negotiate with terrorists"? Just because the war has become increasing unpopular doesn't mean we should change our core values and negotiate with militants who are killing Americans and any other people's whom are striving for democracy.
As bad as the Taliban are, we did not give a hoot about their practices for the past couple of decades after the Soviet Union withdrew. If the Taliban can be sufficiently "beat up" to sue for a cease fire under our terrms, then we have no quarrel with them. It is their country and we have no business being there. The role of the US in Afghanistan is not to change the culture of that society, but to ensure that Al Qaida is effectively degraded. The Taliban are only slightly more fanatical and fundamentaalist than the rest of the country. The Sharia still supercedes the "constitution" that was cheered as a victory for democracy during the Bush administration.
Maybe next if we make a deal with charles manson he will change his ways,Lets offer a deal to the mexican drug lords also, I am sure we can just talk this all out and things will be all rosy and warm and who knows maybe mullah omar will retract his threat to attack Americans.
Manson came quietly. He's in prison, not dead. That's because of talking. If we had any semblance of leverage in the war on drugs, then we'd talk. Talking is what separates civilized people from blood lusting killers. You can't call it a win unless you talk or there's no one left to speak. Which would you like?
i am a proud canadian,but.....i also am proud of what the usa has accomplished so far,however i thought there was this little saying'the us will NEVER negotiate with terrorists'?its truely a sad day.
The United States should NEVER negotiate with terroristists. How could we begin to think they would honour any agreement ever made? The Taliban's mission statement includes absolute control and lashing out at the US - what kind of terms are those to be agreed to. Another failure of the Obama Foreign Policy quagmire.
WHEN A MAN IS PREPARED TO 'KILL HIMSELF' TO MAKE A POINT...........THE WISE THING TO DO IS TO LISTEN TO HIM...........ISNT THIS SUPPOSED TO BE WHY EVEN JESUS CHRIST IS STILL RELEVANT IN OUR WORLD TODAY?
I AM CONFIDENT NOW THAT OUR GOVERNMENT REALLY WANTS TO PUT THIS WAR BEHIND THEM. ITS A COMFORTING THING TO KNOW.
There must be negotiations. We do not wage war in 2011 like we did in 1945, fire bombing cities and unconditional surrenders. The Taliban can never be "disbanded", like the Nazi party or Ba'aths. The history, geography, religion, and almost total lack of infrastructure in Afghanistan dictate what is realistic.
It's time to admit that Afghanistan was hopelessly lost when the Cheney-Bush administration pulled our forces from Afghanistan to deprive Saddam Hussein of all those WMD stockpiles he may have deamed about but actually never had.
Only to the extent that they (the Taliban) are willing to negotiate their complete withdrawal from political and military involvement in the governance of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Otherwise, they should be wiped from the earth like the bloody stain they are.
Why does the news media think that the American public can weigh in on matters of military strategy or foreign policy? In fact, we know practically nothing about the background of these matters. Mr. Gates is speaking plainly about many issues as he leaves his office. We should listen to him, not second guess the intelligence of a dedicated expert who has served our government so well in every way.