By Dr. James M. Dorsey, January 29, 2019
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Pakistan is stepping through a minefield as it concludes agreements on investment, balance of payments support, and delayed payment oil deliveries with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates worth $13 billion. These deals are likely to spawn growing distrust in its relations with neighboring Iran.
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Michael Rubin | Washington Examiner
Washington once before settled to the deal now laid before it. At the minimum, it behooves Zalmay Khalilzad and President Trump to explain why they believe that the Taliban, emboldened by what they see as the defeat of the US, would any more honor their word now than 20 years ago.
Political, military, and intelligence leaders, as well as analysts and experts on Afghanistan have been claiming the Taliban is exhausted from fighting for at least 15 years. And yet the Taliban fights on while the US is desperate to leave.
By Baheer Wardak, the interpreter: “Any progress to end the longest war in American history would require accepting some mind-boggling demands from the Taliban, or substantial policy and ideological shifts on their part, which seem unlikely."