August 30, 2019
The Key Role Pakistan Is Playing In U.S.-Taliban Talks
A bomb parked under the preacher's pulpit in a mosque likely had a high-profile target: a brother of the Taliban leader. It was seen by the Taliban as a warning to stop their talks with the United States.
The bombing, on Aug. 16, was in Pakistan — on the outskirts of the garrison town of Quetta, near the Afghan border. And its location spotlighted something else: the powerful and uneasy place of Pakistan in these negotiations. Quetta is widely understood to be the base of Afghanistan's Taliban leadership.
Critics have long contended that Pakistan has held some sway over the Taliban by offering them shelter, if not outright support.
Listen to the full story and more on NPR's Morning Edition.
More from CNAS
-
What Afghanistan Can Teach Us About Fighting Coronavirus
Commentary
As worried Americans look for answers in the midst of a global pandemic, it is no surprise that many have turned to the symbols and language of war. Public officials from Gove...
By Pat A. Basu & Dr. Jason Dempsey
-
Walk Away from the Taliban, Not Afghanistan
Podcast
General David H. Petraeus (US Army, Retired) and Vance Serchuk speak with ISW Founder and President Dr. Kimberly Kagan on the dangers of the U.S. deal with the Taliban. Liste...
By David H. Petraeus & Vance Serchuk
-
Can America Trust the Taliban to Prevent Another 9/11?
Commentary
For nearly 20 years, the U.S. intervention in Afghanistan has been sustained by a single, vital national interest: the clear and present danger of another September 11–like at...
By David H. Petraeus & Vance Serchuk
-
The Afghan peace deal and its eerie parallels with Vietnam
Commentary
Last month marked a potential turning point in America’s 19-year war in Afghanistan. In signing a landmark peace agreement, the United States and the Taliban paved the way for...
By Richard Fontaine
