US offers new olive branch to Afghan Taliban
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WASHINGTON - The United States has offered a new olive branch to Afghan Taliban in return for joining mainstream politics and quit violence.
US has offered the Afghan Taliban a comprehensive “safety network”.
United States Defence Department has also outlined a rehabilitation plan for Afghan rebels in what is termed as “new Afghanistan”.
“Although some members of the Taliban may be weary of fighting and ready to lay down their weapons, they will only re-join society if they believe their safety and the safety of their families are guaranteed, and if they have an opportunity to earn enough money to provide for their families,” said a Pentagon report which was sent to Congress, along with proposals for addressing US security concerns, this week.
However, the Pentagon noted that “the Afghan government has not developed a national reintegration programme” despite the programmes that have been developed by the local leaders to offer peace a path.
While the US president is keen on withdrawing US forces from war-torn Afghanistan as part of his electoral promise, the defence department suggests otherwise and stresses upon the need of maintaining enough troops in Afghanistan in order to force Taliban into joining the peace process.
Over the past year, the US and its allies have been using force to drive the Taliban towards a political settlement which, at one point, was not deemed necessary by the American security establishment.
The report further maintained that the selective use of force tempted the Taliban to “accept the Eidul Fitr ceasefire” in June and that there are indicators of the acceptance of a second ceasefire offer although they (Taliban) did not publically accept it.
