A new Afghan peace initiative could be the start of movement towards the negotiation table that could possibly be the start of a peace process for Afghanistan. The Taliban recently provided an ‘open letter’ to the American people saying they were willing to engage in direct talks with the U.S. government through their office in Qatar. This U.S. demurred, saying negotiations would need to be ‘Afghan led’ and with the Afghan government.
Last week President Ghani, presiding over the Kabul Process, provided a sweeping initiative with a new Afghan peace initiative that could be (or at least should be) attractive for the Taliban movement and its leadership to consider. A number of key aspects within the Afghan peace initiative should be enticing to the Taliban – recognition of the Taliban as a political party, release of Taliban prisoners, becoming part of the government, participation in elections, passports for leadership, shelter, and security.
Naturally there are those that applaud this action by President Ghani and those that oppose it. Read the perspective of one Afghan who thinks the Taliban should take Ghani up on his offer.
“Peace Package Offered to Taliban; What Next?”
by Abdul Rahman Rahmani, March 3, 2018
Posted on Afghan War News
www.afghanwarnews.info/articles/20180303-peace-package-offer-by-ghani.html
The author is an aviation pilot with the Afghan Air Force Special Mission Wing (SMW) and author of the book Afghanistan: A Collection of Stories. Rahmani is currently a student at the Expeditionary Warfare School, Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia.
