Nikki: Thank you for your interest, however you may be missing the point. If Afghans want to see negotiations with other Afghans, surely it is not our role to judge the likelihood of success, but to allow them to as they please. That, as I see it, is the whole point of sovereignty and democracy. It is also quite doubtful that outsiders (which I assume we both are) can make predictions of success or failure with any confidence. I am also skeptical of any comparisons between the Taliban (and allied Afghan insurgents) and Osama Bin Laden. Just on the surface, there are many differences between them.

Regards,

Dave M