Who would of thought they would ever see this

[randolph85]

Kind of bizzare

LIVE: Press conference after first day of intra-Afghan talks in Moscow - YouTube

[randolph85]

“Citizen Karzai” needs to become a meme

[maneatinglizard]

Karzai and Stanekzai seem to be wearing the same shirt and blazer lol.

[Firdousi]

This is not a bad thing. Many people i know are upset about it but honestly speaking I prefer all these toorkhors to engage of talks instead of killing poor innocent people. Who knows may be this will help us to reach to a stable peace agreement although I am skeptic. If the Afghan gov is not involved this will fail.

[randolph85]

This is not a bad thing. Many people i know are upset about it but honestly speaking I prefer all these toorkhors to engage of talks instead of killing poor innocent people. Who knows may be this will help us to reach to a stable peace agreement although I am skeptic. If the Afghan gov is not involved this will fail.

The Ghani govt is acting childish in that they just lodged a complaint to the UN about Talibs on a non travel list attending these talks. It is like the Karzai govt trying to torpedo the talks years ago during/after the dead Mullah Omar thing.

Obviously they are feeling left out and rightfully so but what do you think about this? This peace process seems far more real than it did in the Karzai era and most of Ghanis opposition seems to be on board.

I don’t know how the presidential election timeline figures into this but I see an interim govt in the near future if all goes well and Trump doesn’t make a 2am drunk foreign policy tweet that changes things and makes Khalilzad poop his pants.

[Firdousi]

The Ghani govt is acting childish in that they just lodged a complaint to the UN about Talibs on a non travel list attending these talks. It is like the Karzai govt trying to torpedo the talks years ago during/after the dead Mullah Omar thing.

Obviously they are feeling left out and rightfully so but what do you think about this? This peace process seems far more real than it did in the Karzai era and most of Ghanis opposition seems to be on board.

I don’t know how the presidential election timeline figures into this but I see an interim govt in the near future if all goes well and Trump doesn’t make a 2am drunk foreign policy tweet that changes things and makes Khalilzad poop his pants.

First off I would like to say that I am not anti-Ghani. I think he is not a bad president and I respect some of his policies. His attempts to turn Afg into a trade hub and how regional projects such as TAPI, TAP, CASA, Lapislazuli Corridor and Chabahar, along with roads and dams such as Salma, were completed on his watch deserve credit and admiration. These projects will have a positive impact on Afg in the long term.

BUT. I believe Ghani made some political mistakes. He truly thinks of himself as a new Daud Khan. But Afghanistan is not the same country. Now its deeply fragmented along ethnic and sectarian lines and there are too many regional and domestic interests that can not be ignored. So our historical context does not accept a figure like Daud. Ghani, despite being a very smart guy, ignored this. He made a huge mistake by sidelining all national figures such as Jihadis.

I am optimistic to be honest. These talks are not bad but have no real political meaning. We are just witnessing a new attempt to thwart peace talks: Russians want to end or ruin the USA-led peace talks and force the USA to leave as a defeated force without a political agreement. Jihadis want to destroy Ghani and the Taliban are looking to further delegitimize the Afghan state and institutions.

I dont really care about elections. Afg´s democracy is a joke. We cant even held elections in our capital. This system must be changed and deeply reformed. But I am afraid nor the Taliban, nor Westernized technocrats such as Ghani neither the Jihadis can do this job. This task is so complex that none of these losers have the will nor the brain to do it. We must pray that these talks achieve something because if they dont our country will descend into chaos once again and the 90ths nightmare will be back again.

BTW correct me if I am wrong, but Omar´s death was announced by Ghani´s administration, not Karzai´s. It was a clever move but it failed.

[torkham]

The Ghani govt is acting childish in that they just lodged a complaint to the UN about Talibs on a non travel list attending these talks. It is like the Karzai govt trying to torpedo the talks years ago during/after the dead Mullah Omar thing.

Obviously they are feeling left out and rightfully so but what do you think about this? This peace process seems far more real than it did in the Karzai era and most of Ghanis opposition seems to be on board.

I don’t know how the presidential election timeline figures into this but I see an interim govt in the near future if all goes well and Trump doesn’t make a 2am drunk foreign policy tweet that changes things and makes Khalilzad poop his pants.

Salam Pahlawan saeb, der mudda.

That complaint to UN is very likely a result of the pressure applied by the disgruntled Amriki seeing Russians showboating their role at this juncture in a 'theatre' that is directed by them.

[Insight]

The Ghani govt is acting childish in that they just lodged a complaint to the UN about Talibs on a non travel list attending these talks. It is like the Karzai govt trying to torpedo the talks years ago during/after the dead Mullah Omar thing.

Obviously they are feeling left out and rightfully so but what do you think about this? This peace process seems far more real than it did in the Karzai era and most of Ghanis opposition seems to be on board.

I don’t know how the presidential election timeline figures into this but I see an interim govt in the near future if all goes well and Trump doesn’t make a 2am drunk foreign policy tweet that changes things and makes Khalilzad poop his pants.

The presidential election is totally irrelevant and would be a meaningless affair and waste of money.


Trump Admin negotiating the US withdrawal from Afghanistan makes a Taliban insurgency victory a clear reality.

[maneatinglizard]

The presidential election is totally irrelevant and would be a meaningless affair and waste of money.


Trump Admin negotiating the US withdrawal from Afghanistan makes a Taliban insurgency victory a clear reality.

The ANA would be able to hold out as long as the US continues to provide funding. While a US withdrawal would weaken their position considerably, the Taliban still have no way to deal with the Afghan Air Force.

If the fighting continues beyond the US withdrawal, a Taliban victory would only be likely in one of three scenarios:

1. The US cuts/ends funding of the ANA
2. A major Taliban offensive shatters ANA morale and causes mass desertion and surrender
3. The NUG players start fighting each other (over a contested election or some other political crisis)

All three of these are possible, but without at least one of them occurring I don’t think the Taliban will be able to hold big cities. I could see them taking over rural provinces with strong support like Paktia, Zabul, Kunduz, or Helmand, but even Kandahar would be tough unless something happens to the Afghan Air Force.

[Insight]

The ANA would be able to hold out as long as the US continues to provide funding. While a US withdrawal would weaken their position considerably, the Taliban still have no way to deal with the Afghan Air Force.

If the fighting continues beyond the US withdrawal, a Taliban victory would only be likely in one of three scenarios:

1. The US cuts/ends funding of the ANA
2. A major Taliban offensive shatters ANA morale and causes mass desertion and surrender
3. The NUG players start fighting each other (over a contested election or some other political crisis)

All three of these are possible, but without at least one of them occurring I don’t think the Taliban will be able to hold big cities. I could see them taking over rural provinces with strong support like Paktia, Zabul, Kunduz, or Helmand, but even Kandahar would be tough unless something happens to the Afghan Air Force.

I agree. I think the main priority of the Taliban post-US exit is to provide administrative services (electricty, heat, water, taxation, basically local government) in the areas they control. In my opinion, that is very important to them for the purpose of promoting and spreading their rule.

[Firdousi]

The ANA would be able to hold out as long as the US continues to provide funding. While a US withdrawal would weaken their position considerably, the Taliban still have no way to deal with the Afghan Air Force.

If the fighting continues beyond the US withdrawal, a Taliban victory would only be likely in one of three scenarios:

1. The US cuts/ends funding of the ANA
2. A major Taliban offensive shatters ANA morale and causes mass desertion and surrender
3. The NUG players start fighting each other (over a contested election or some other political crisis)

All three of these are possible, but without at least one of them occurring I don’t think the Taliban will be able to hold big cities. I could see them taking over rural provinces with strong support like Paktia, Zabul, Kunduz, or Helmand, but even Kandahar would be tough unless something happens to the Afghan Air Force.

Many people seem to consider the Taliban already the victor in this war although facts say otherwise. Only 15% of Afghanistan is under Taliban direct rule. They control nothing but few villages and mud-houses. It will take them years, to defeat all the remaining players in case of national collapse. And I dont really think they can really do that.

Afghan Air Force is weak. Most of our jets are light attack aircrafts. They are no real threat. Syrian Air Force had a stronger force than us yet it was an utter failure while dealing with the Syrian rebels and Daesh. Also Syrian geography is better suited for an air force (almost no mountains) still they were unable to stop rebels. Only Russian massive air support and its intelligent bombs made the difference. So I dont think our air force can really stop the Taliban. I really doubt it.

[khushal]

Karzai might be trying to portray some kind of an acceptable legacy, trying so hard not to be a shah shuja.
He mentions a peaceful Afghanistan and an independent Afghanistan. Out of all people, he is the one who said it. He knows how to shoot the shyt.

The lady who was talking at the end about women's rights was left alone at the end.