Afghanistan’s swift unraveling has created new - and in some quarters unrealistic - enthusiasm for talks with the Taliban.
We agree that there should be a serious effort to win over lower-level militants and tribal leaders - people who are not true believers but have allied with extremists because they had no choice, needed the money or have grown so disillusioned with the Afghan government that they forgot the horrors of Taliban rule.
President-elect Barack Obama has said that he is open to such an approach. General David McKiernan, the top American commander in Afghanistan, says he is working on a plan to engage militants in local councils provided they reject the Taliban and accept the basic civil rights and political freedoms in the Afghan Constitution.
At the same time, we are deeply skeptical that there is any deal to be cut with Taliban leaders who gave sanctuary to Al Qaeda before 9/11 and would undoubtedly insist on re-imposing their repressive, medieval ways, including denying education and medical care to women.
We fear that some NATO members may be so eager to withdraw their troops that they would be willing to trade away the Afghans’ future. Or that the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, may be far too eager to compromise in hopes of increasing his re-election chances.
There was real joy in Afghanistan - and around the world - when America and its Afghan allies defeated the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Seven years later, both are back with a vengeance. This is the deadliest year for NATO and Afghan forces in Afghanistan since 2001. The country is on a downward spiral .
President Bush shortchanged the Afghan war in favor of his disastrous Iraq war. Mr. Karzai is also culpable. His government’s venality and ineptitude has driven his people back to the extremists. Mr. Bush has belatedly woken up to the mess he created and sent more - although still not enough - troops to Afghanistan. Force alone will not defeat the militants.
Afghanistan’s only chance is a longterm American commitment that also includes far more economic assistance and support for political development. Washington also must come up with a better mixture of incentives and pressures to persuade Pakistan to shut down havens of the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Mr. Karzai must cut all ties with corrupt officials and clean up and strengthen his national police.
Negotiations with tribal leaders and low-level militants also can be part of that strategy. For now, the Taliban have all of the momentum. American and NATO forces will have to continue their assault on the insurgents through the winter and make a much greater effort to limit civilian casualties.
Instead of leaving it to Mr. Obama, Mr. Bush should quickly authorize the extra 20,000 American troops that his commanders have requested. The United States and its allies also must ensure that Afghanistan has the food aid it needs to compensate for this year’s failed harvest. Widespread hunger would drive even more civilians to the Taliban.