The first in-person meeting between the US and the Taliban since al Qaeda leader killed

| October 9, 2022

This is the first meeting like this after the US took out Ayman al Zawahiri via drone strike. The Taliban condemned the attack but had previously vowed that Afghanistan would not be used to harbor terrorists. The US side had representation from the CIA and from the State Department. The Taliban side was led by their intelligence chief. The meeting took place in Doha, Qatar.

From The Washington Examiner:

David Cohen, deputy director of the CIA, and Tom West, a State Department negotiator, met with a delegation led Abdul Haq Wasiq, the Taliban’s intelligence chief, in Doha, Qatar, over the weekend, according to multiple reports. CNN was first to confirm the meeting, which comes nearly three months after the U.S. broke off direct talks with Afghanistan’s ruling faction for harboring the al Qaeda leader. While the U.S. continued to engage in negotiations with the Taliban, Saturday’s summit marked the first time that senior U.S. officials met face-to-face since a few days before Zawahiri’s death.

Neither the State Department nor the CIA commented on the meeting.

Zawahiri, the U.S. government’s most wanted man, was taken out in July while on a balcony at his Kabul, Afghanistan, safe house. The 71-year-old Egyptian, who was described as Osama bin Laden’s 9/11 deputy and eventual successor, was living in the wealthy Sherpur neighborhood of downtown Kabul. The CIA launched two deadly Hellfire missiles at the balcony, killing Zawahiri as his family was inside.

News of Zawahiri’s presence in Kabul revealed the Taliban’s willingness to create an environment that would allow terrorist groups to rebuild their ranks. It would be highly unlikely for a fugitive of Zawahiri’s rank to feel safe enough to show his face in Afghanistan’s largest city if he was there without the Taliban’s permission.

The Taliban vowed as the U.S. withdrew troops from Afghanistan that they would not harbor terrorists. That pledge came at a time when organization leaders were attempting to build a functional government in Kabul and thus tried to appear more secular for financial purposes.

The Washington Examiner has the rest of the story.

Category: International Affairs, Taliban

12 Comments
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Anonymous

What, are we asking them if they want more free weapons?

NDHoosier

Fuck Joe Biden
Your guns he wants to seize.
But when he sees the Taliban
He gives them guns with ease.

KoB

Nuke the site from orbit…it’s the only way to be sure.

What’s it gonna take for People of other Religions/Faiths/Beliefs to realize that radical mooselems, practicing the Religion of Pieces, are NOT their friends?

What say ye, OAM?

Only Army Mom

bounce the rubble.

AW1Ed

Hey, it’s only honor and treasure, right? Since Joe has no honor, the only question is how much treasure will this cost?

Odie

None of his that’s for sure.

AZRobert

“US side had representation from the CIA and from the State Department.”

I think we found the problem…

Hate_me

Would you prefer it be Milley & Austin?

Honestly, no good options for at least two more years.

QMC

Throw in the DOJ leadership and you have corrupt trifecta.

A Proud Infidel®™

I don’t have any high hopes at all given that the current administration can fuck a hundred thousand wet dreams up all at once!

Odie

Only a hundred thousand? You’re not giving them enough credit.

Docduracoat

He’s having talks with the Afghans , and he wants to complete a nuclear deal with the Iranians.
The Afghans are hiding terrorist leaders, and the Iranians are killing school girls who protest hair coverings.
It seems to me that Joe Biden always picks the course of action that puts America’s interest last.