US Taliban deal

Newstalk ZB reports:

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in an interview Sunday did not reveal any details of a potential historic meeting between President Donald Trump and leaders of the Taliban.

Trump said during a news conference a day earlier that he would meet with leaders from the militant group “in the not too distant future” following the signing earlier Saturday of a historic agreement between the US and the Taliban which sets into motion the potential of a full withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and could pave the way to ending America’s longest-fought war.

The deal is the least bad option, from what I can see. After 18 years, it is hard to see what more one could do to stabilise the country with troops. So a deal with the Taliban is a necessary evil.

Of course if Obama had struck such a deal, many in the GOP would condemn him as a traitor and surrendering to the enemy.

I’m not optimistic the Taliban will stick to their end of the deal, and what will be interesting is how the US then responds.

But if the US and NATO can withdraw their troops, and Afghanistan doesn’t become a worst place to live for the locals, then that’s a good outcome.