Talks with Taliban Are Productive and Plausible
Editorial, The Hindu | October 29, 2008
NATO countries disagree about the floundering mission in Afghanistan, but it is obvious the hardwearing Taliban cannot be crushed by military means alone. ++ More troops would not help keep control in rural areas, where the insurgency is strong. ++ This would prolong the use of air-to-ground bombing to target high-ranking insurgents, resulting in high numbers of civilian casualties. ++ Because the Taliban is not a monolithic block, but rather a network of several strands, the US must identify insurgent leaders with whom deals can be made.
