Hillary Clinton... sometimes described as the Smartest Woman in the World and at other times as Mrs. Bill, never as
Another John Foster Dulles...
has said Afghan Taliban made wrong decision in 9/11 after declaring their support to al-Qaeda network.
"That was the wrong choice, and they have paid a heavy price," Hillary Clinton said while speaking at the Asia Society research organisation in New York on Friday.
"Today, the escalating pressure of our military campaign is sharpening a similar decision for the Taliban: break ties with al-Qaeda, give up your arms, and abide by the Afghan constitution and you can rejoin Afghan society; refuse and you will continue to face the consequences of being tied to al-Qaeda as an enemy of the international community," Clinton further said.
She said the US is in an effort to strengthen Afghan-led efforts to sever the Taliban from al-Qaeda network and then to make peace with those willing to give up violence and embrace Afghan constitution.
Meanwhile,
...back at the ranch...
US President Barack
B.O.Obama has held secret talks with leading members of the Taliban in a bid to gauge which figures in the Taliban leadership are willing to involve in Afghan peace efforts and under what conditions, the New Yorker magazine reported.
Foreign military commanders in the field have predicted a tough and bloody spring ahead of troops in Afghanistan.
The US commander of Nato and coalition forces in Afghanistan has recently said gains in the Afghan war are "fragile and reversible".
Foreign troops are expected to start leaving Afghanistan in July this year amid an increasingly growing insurgency nationwide.