The United States could still achieve a positive outcome after 6,000 days of war in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary James Mattis said Tuesday, but it won't happen on the battlefield.
"We do look toward a victory in Afghanistan," he said in Kabul. "Not a military victory — the victory will be a political reconciliation" between the Taliban and the Afghan government. He conceded the Taliban as a whole is not ready to make a deal, but said "there is interest on the Taliban side" among "those who are tired of fighting."
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani extended an unprecedented invitation for peace talks to the Taliban at the end of February, and Mattis reported some factions of the Taliban are privately expressing openness to the proposal, though they have yet to make any public comment. Among Ghani's demands are the Taliban's rejection of violence and willingness to participate in the political process.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
