Zalmay Khalilzad
Michael Hughes: U.S. State Department envoy Zalmay Khalilzad faces a daunting task – persuading the Taliban not to launch an offensive against Western troops that are likely to stay beyond the withdrawal deadline set by the Doha pact. The reboot in talks with the Taliban comes as the insurgents vow to kill any U.S. forces that remain on the ground after May 1, while the Pentagon draws up plans to increase airstrikes in advance of an insurgent offensive.
The Biden administration has repeatedly claimed that the Taliban have violated the withdrawal agreement by failing to split from al-Qaeda. In addition, the U.S. is unimpressed with insurgent efforts to engage in intra-Afghan talks, which is also stipulated in the withdrawal agreement. As a result, White House aides are reportedly seriously considering delaying the withdrawal of troops indefinitely. Click here to read more.
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