Afghan Role for Taliban, if They Play by Rules: Amrullah Saleh

June 16 (Bloomberg) -- As the U.S. prepares to reduce itstroop presence in Afghanistan next month, Afghans are seriouslyconsidering what will come next for our country. As HamidKarzai’s government steers reconciliation talks with the Talibanaimed at creating enough quiet for the Americans and the rest ofNATO to justify departing, Afghans like me increasingly worrythat we will wind up in a situation worse than the civil war ofpast years.

This is avoidable. The opposition to Karzai isn’t just arejection of the current government, as the media haveemphasized. We provide an alternative vision to Karzai’s way outof the status quo. It entails a complete disarming of theTaliban, an end to Pakistan’s practice of giving sanctuary toTaliban militants and a truth-and-reconciliation process forAfghanistan.