General McChrystal, the Nato Commander in Afghanistan, said that negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban may be part of the solution, in an interview with the Financial Times published Monday.
He said, “I think that clearly, [negotiating with the Taliban is] in the purview of the government of Afghanistan…, but I believe that a political solution in all conflicts is the inevitable outcome, [a]nd that’s the right outcome.
“I think that the re-integration of fighters can take a lot of energy out of the current levels of the insurgency. Then I think you open up the option, the possibility, for everyone to look at what’s the right combination of participation in the government here.”
When asked specifically whether the Taliban might play a role in the future government, he said, “I think any Afghans can play a role if they focus on the future, and not the past.”
However, he said that he was not prepared to say what the future government should look like because it is the government of Afghanistan and “the Afghan people [should] decide.”
The idea of negotiating with the Taliban is not new, however, it appears to be gaining momentum. Last Friday, in what appears to be increased hopes of a power-sharing arrangement with the Taliban, US Secretary of State Robert Gates described the Taliban as part of the “political fabric” of Afghanistan. Also earlier this month, in a move to facilitate negotiations, the spokesperson for Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that he would ask the UN to remove Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Muhammad Omar from its blacklist.
As early as March 28th, 2009, President Karzai asked the UN to remove the names of Taliban leaders who are not part of Al-Queda as a first step towards peace talks. On January 25th, 2010, President Karzai said that he will be making the same request at the international conference on Afghanistan in London this Thursday.
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown showed his support for working with former members of the Taliban, at a press conference on January 26th, 2010, and said, “if… we can bring over from those people who were previously associated with the Taliban or with groups that were taking action against the coalition forces by them renouncing violence and agreeing to join the democratic process, then that is of value to the peace process.”
Back in September 2001, former US President George W. Bush delivered an ultimatum to the Taliban demanding amongst other things, that they “deliver to the US authorities all the leaders of Al Qaeda that hide in [their] land,” and also said that his demands were not open to negotiation or discussion. The Taliban initially insisted that they would not hand over Osama bin Laden, however after a week of air strikes in Afghanistan, Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister Haji Abdul Kabir offered to hand over bin Laden on the condition that the US stops its attacks and provides evidence against bin Laden. Bush rejected their offer and said “when I said no negotiations, I meant no negotiations.”
The Canadian government had a similar policy. On March 3rd, 2008, Canada’s Defence Minister Peter MacKay said, “We are not talking to the Taliban. We are not having direct discussions with terrorists. We won’t, will not, that will not change.” However, on March 9, 2009, MacKay said that he didn’t disagree with the idea of talking to the Taliban, but Canada wouldn’t be involved. He said, “Yes, discussions with the Taliban; yes, led by the Afghans; and yes, certain conditions that have to be in place.” MacKay’s comment came after Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on March 1st 2009, that “Frankly, we are not going to ever defeat the insurgency,” and after his party had been calling Jack Layton, the leader of one of the opposition parties (NDP), “Taliban Jack” for the last two years for being the first party leader to suggest negotiating with the Taliban.
The UK government had also stressed non-negotiation. On December 12, 2007, Prime Minister Brown denied that he was seeking direct talks with the Taliban and said, “I make it clear that we will not enter into any negotiation with these people.” As mentioned earlier, Brown now supports working with former members of the Taliban.
Why couldn’t Bush and Blair have negotiated with the Taliban at the start?