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December 7, 2010

Despite Public Stance and Polls, U.S. Opposes Taliban Reconciliation
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In Afghanistan, the cables also show the United States is actively
opposing an eventual peace agreement that could bring top Taliban
leaders into the Afghan government. The United States has publicly
claimed it backs reconciliation talks with the Taliban. But one cable
cites Richard Holbrooke, U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan,
as saying, "There will be no power-sharing with elements of the
Taliban." News of the U.S. stance comes just as a new poll of Afghan
public opinion shows that although the Taliban remains unpopular, 73
percent of Afghans would support a negotiated settlement.



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