Afghans move toward reconciliation with Taliban

[kpete]

Source: Associated Press

Afghans move toward reconciliation with Taliban

By LARA JAKES (AP) – 49 minutes ago

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan — Local Afghan leaders told a top U.S. Marine commander Monday that they plan to step up efforts to reconcile with midlevel Taliban in the extremists' southern Helmand province stronghold, where U.S. forces launched a major offensive in recent weeks.

U.S. military officials have little hope of their own for a cease-fire agreement with Taliban leaders. But Afghan officials said they are looking to turn what some call the "ten-dollar Taliban" — locals who are hired to fight for the militants.

"We have seen that they also are interested — that the middle-level Taliban are also interested in reconciliation," Helmand Gov. Gullab Mangal Mangal said Monday.

During discussions with U.S. Gen. James Conway, commandant of the Marine Corps, Mangal said that with the recent presidential elections now done, he was starting to work on a reconciliation strategy.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jixDP...

[ohio2007]

1. mid level Taliban in the extremists' southern Helmand province do not speak for the top dogs

They are willing middle men ready to let greed seep into the dark side of their peaceful teaching practices.

Time will tell as to which poppy farmers prosper and which are treated as "spies" by the top dogs.

[sasquuatch55]

2. And what has this "war" gained us? How could the squandered money have helped us here at home ?

nt

[shadowknows69]

3. In other words, we lost. Bring the troops home now. One more death is one too many.

[maxsolomon]

4. i still can't believe it took 5 years in iraq

for our best-on-the-planet military to realize they could pay the insurgents off.

and, apparently, another year to realize that they could try the same tactic in afghanistan.

really? poor, unemployed men need a steady paycheck?