Gordon Brown’s latest words, those uttered so often by political leaders in the face impending disaster. “we will never…” – in this case “appease the Taliban”. In this case the alternative is “we will appease the (self-apparently fraudulent) government of Mohammed Karzai”. And David Milliband is off to do just that as he is installed for a further term.
Who is the “Taliban” is a moot point since those inside Afghanistan see it as a very inexact term which can cover diverse groups and interests, including those who don’t care much for Karzai’s way of operating. Difficult to criticise them isn’t it?
I had thought that the British Government had already noted a difference between “good” and “bad’ Taliban with the intention to “reintegrate”, but if these are groups willing to compromise with a government admittedly corrupt perhaps they are the wrong ones to work with!