Though not completely defeated militarily, the taliban in Afghanistan are on a definite decline. As evidenced by a recent meeting in Kabul of a fugitive Taliban leader with Hamid Karzai,the taliban finally appear to have reconciled to accepting the ground reality of giving up links to Al Qaeda and abandoning terror related activities emanating from Afghanistan .
This latest move aims at weakening the Haqqani network that straddles the border area across Pakistan's tribal belt. Besides, Afghanistan president Karzai has also established contacts with other taliban leaders ready to enter the mainstream to start the much needed work of political reconciliation.
Currently the situation in southern parts of Kandahar region look drastically aggravated. NATO forces have not succeeded in inspiring confidence in the village populace for reasons of lack of safety. Kidnapping and killing threats are heeded by the villagers ignoring assurances by NATO forces or government officials. Schools, clinics and other service institutions in the villages remain indefinitely shut. Normalizing such a destabilized society to revive government activity in the village side will require immense efforts by the Afghan government, after the US led forces succeed in ending insurgency by eliminating their mid-level commanders.
Though deploying air-power mainly for targeting insurgent elements has emerged as the most feasible option with the US forces , restricting civilian deaths and causalities will serve to aid the government efforts at bringing about transition and transformation.Anti-US and anti west sentiments already sway the people in this region. People are particularly averse to foreign troops and their domination. Close coordination and understanding between US military leadership and Afghan government will prove to be the dire need of thr hour.
Having won presidency twice, Karzai's resourcefulness in dealing with the situation cannot be underestimated. Being a Pashtun himself, he is naturally capable of touching the pulse of various pashtun tribes where taliban insurgency mainly exists.
In order to ensure against security hazards during this transition period, Afghan government has passed a bill banning with effect from December 17,2010 private security agencies controlled by private Afghan individuals or multinational companies, currently operating outside the control of Afghan police or Army ,which at times even run as independent militias. Such agencies provide security to various projects funded by different organizations or governments of international community. But such projects are threatening to wind up their operations and close down due to lack of faith in weak Afghan police and army agencies. This runs counter to bringing about the transformational phase, dependent to a great extent on development activity and the employment it generates. This requires close coordination between international community and Karzai's government.
Karzai has formed a 'peace council' to make overtures to the militants. As the war in Afghanistan cannot be won militarily, it will have to be ended by negotiations. Political reconciliation in the country will have to be done carefully and in a most mature manner. US led forces would help facilitate the process by side by side dealing with hardened Taliban and Al Qaeda leadership in a most forceful manner .
This situation should be seen as an opportunity to end antagonistic and hostile approaches between India and Pakistan to bring in the much needed goodwill and conducive environments for peace and progress of the entire region comprising India , Pakistan and Afghanistan.The US president lauded India's role in rebuilding the violence-torn country and asked Pakistan to be a partner in the reconstruction."India's investment in the development of Afghanistan is appreciated," Obama saidAllaying fears of Pakistan about India's alleged interference in Afghanistan, Obama said: "Pakistan has to be a partner in this process (of reconstruction). In fact all countries of the region need to be partners in this process and the US welcomes them. We don't think that we can do this alone."
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