Negotiations, while airwar increases

The following headline from Democracy Now's program today (10-20-10) suggests that there is some tentative headway in efforts to toward a negotiated settlement between the Karzai government and various factions of the Taliban. which are being facilitated by NATO.

"US Allowing Key Taliban Factions to Attend Peace Talks

"New details have emerged on the Obama administration’s backing of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. The New York Times reports US-led forces have allowed senior Taliban leaders to enter Afghanistan for meetings with Afghan leaders in Kabul. The talks have included leaders of three key Taliban factions, including the Quetta shura, which oversees the Taliban’s armed operations in Afghanistan. In at least one case, Taliban leaders flew into Kabul aboard a NATO aircraft."

Dexter Filkins is the journalist who authored the New York Times article referred to by Democracy Now. Filkins opens his article on a hopeful note: "The discussions, some of which have taken place in Kabul, are unfolding between the inner circle of President Hamid Karzai and members of the Quetta shura, the leadership group that oversees the Talaiban war effort in Afghanistan. [In addition, leaders of two other factions are involved:] Afghan leaders of the Haqqqani network, considered to be one of the most hard-line guerilla factionrs fighting here; and members of the Peshawar shura, whose fighters are based in 'eastern Afghanistan'"

Filkins reports that NATO is providing transportation and security in bringing Taliban leaders to Kabul. He also notes that "the talks have been held on several different occasions and appear to represent the most substantive effort to date to negotiate an end to the nine-year old war...."

There are caveats. One is that the Pakistan Inter-Service Intelligence is reported to be opposed to the negotiations without other Taliban leaders being included. Two, US officials do not see evidence of truly peaceful initiatives from the Taliban. Filkins writes: "As long as the Taliban believe they are winning, they do not seem likely to make a deal." Filkins quotes Leon Panetta, CIA director: "If there are elements that wish to reconcile and get reintegrated, that ought to be obviously explored....But I still have not seen anything that indicates that at this point a serious effort is being made to reconcile."

In the meantime the US airwar in Afghanistan is being escalated. Jason Ditz reports in an article on antiwar.com (8-19-10): "September saw a massive increase in the number of US air strikes in Afghanistan, with at least 700 distinct strikes across the nation, up from 257 the year prior." Ditz continues: "But the tactic may be even further on the rise in the future, as reports suggest that the Obama Administration has ordered the deployment of the USS Lincoln, another aircraft carrier into the region, adding scores of additional warplanes to the theater of operations."

It's not clear yet whether negotiations have any sound basis.