The United States recognizes that the Taliban are now part of the political fabric of Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here on Friday, but the group must be prepared to play a legitimate role before it can reconcile with the Afghan government.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates at Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry near Islamabad on Thursday. On Friday, he listed conditions that the Taliban must meet for Afghan political acceptance.
That means, Mr. Gates said, that the Taliban must participate in elections, not oppose education and not assassinate local officials.
“The question is whether the Taliban at some point in this process are ready to help build a 21st-century Afghanistan or whether they still just want to kill people,” Mr. Gates said.
No, Mr. Gates, the question is very different.
More like, “What the hell have we been fighting there for since 2001?”
What. A. Disgrace.