It appears that our main enemy in Afghanistan might finally be relenting after nearly 11 years of fighting.
I almost couldn”t believe what I was reading when I saw a news article in which leaders of the Taliban said they would be open to a ceasefire with U.S. forces.
In an even more shocking move, the leaders said they would be open to the presence of U.S. troops in the country through 2024 in order to rebuild and remake the war-torn country.
The statements from the Taliban leaders stem from a report entitled “Taliban Perspectives on Reconciliation” prepared by the Royal United Services Institute, a British security and defense think tank.
However, the Taliban will not negotiate with the current Afghan government of Prime Minister Hamid Karzai because the leaders consider the government weak and corrupt, according to the report.
The announcement came less than 24 hours before the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, which al-Qaida operatives perpetrated after training and sheltering within then-Taliban controlled Afghanistan.
According to the report, Taliban leaders now “deeply regret” associating with al-Qaida, so much that once a ceasefire or political agreement was decided the group would obey a command to completely renounce al-Qaida, though only as long as the order came from spiritual leader Mullah Mohammed Omar.
The report goes on to state the Taliban would allow U.S. forces to operate out of five airbases within the country — Kandahar, Heart, Jalalabad, Mazar-e-Sharif and Kabul — but only as long as the U.S. presence contributed to Afghan security and did not constrain Afghan independence.
The report also stated any U.S. attacks on Afghan neighbors, such as Iran or Pakistan, would not be tolerated because the attacks would impact Afghan national security and invite trouble.
I have to admit, I”m still somewhat skeptical about the validity of this report. I made sure multiple articles on the report appeared in a Google search before I even thought about writing this piece.
But it appears to be legit.
Part of me thinks this is cause for celebration. This is probably the best news out of Afghanistan since the death of Osama bin Laden was announced in May 2011.
And yet, it has come at such a great cost. More than 2,000 U.S. soldiers died fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.
While I”ve had some friends and family enlist in various branches of the service since the Sept. 11 attacks, no close friends made it to Afghanistan. I had not experienced the pain of losing someone I knew to that seemingly distant war.
The death of Sgt. Richard Essex of Kelseyville on Aug. 16 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan hit me harder than I thought it would.
I was working late in the newsroom when we got word a Lake County soldier died in battle. I wrote the initial story as well as the follow up story about his public memorial service, held Sept. 1 at Kelseyville High School.
My first involvement in his story made me want to be present for his memorial service and produce a video to honor the young man who fought for my freedom.
I was moved by so much at the service. I”ve always marveled at the ceremonial aspects of the military.
But it was a simple moment between Essex”s brother and mother that hit me the hardest.
When Essex”s brother, Michael, read a poem to honor his fallen brother, a poet who published his own book of poems entitled “Shade Tree Memories,” Michael began to cry and his mother stepped forward and held him as he continued to read.
I lost it. I immediately put myself in his shoes, reading something to honor my brother who was dead as my mother wrapped her arms around me. I”m not ashamed to admit that I silently cried in that moment.
While I never knew Essex and said only a few words of condolence to his mother following the memorial out of respect, in that moment we all were connected.
I really hope the Taliban do stand down, and soon.
Enough American blood has been shed in our nation”s longest war. It is time for the healing to begin.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14. Follow on Twitter: @KevinNHume.
