U. S. IN PEACE TALKS WITH TALIBAN

"The United States is helping senior Taliban leaders attend initial peace talks with the Afghan government in Kabul... the American public at some point might have to swallow the idea of reconciliation with the Taliban to achieve peace in Afghanistan... Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, appearing before reporters with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at a NATO conference... (said) “We have always acknowledged that reconciliation has to be part of the solution in Afghanistan, and we will do whatever we can to support this process.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/15/world/asia/15nato.html?_r=2