Source: News Week
By Rahmatullah Nabil
Now is a crucial moment for the ongoing Afghan peace talks. While the new U.S. administration forms its national security team and implements a policy review on Afghanistan, including assessing the prospects for progress in the peace talks, Pakistan will not let the peace process drop from the attention of the new president. For the past 20 years, Pakistan has skillfully played both sides in the war on terror, during both Republican and Democratic administrations. It is in Pakistan’s interest to maintain forward progress for the U.S.-Taliban deal in Doha, despite the flaws of the deal.
The Doha-based Taliban negotiators have become disconnected from the Taliban field commander and military leaders. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that these Taliban negotiators will be able to deliver on any long-term commitment to significantly reduce violence or maintain a ceasefire. These negotiators know that any such public commitment to peace would cause an irreparable fragmentation of the Taliban movement, an outcome that the Doha-based Taliban want to avoid at all costs.