Taliban Leader Edges Closer to Peace Talks

Peace talks with the Taliban? The Times of London thinks it's a possibility after an interview with two liaisons of supreme leader Mullar Omar. The language is iffy—the story says Omar "indicated" that he "may be willing" to talk with western politicians—but an unnamed US military source says it's yet more evidence that a "breakthrough" of some sorts is possible for Afghanistan.

“There is evidence from many intelligence sources (that) the Taliban are ready for some kind of peace process,” said the source. In the interview, Omar's representatives laid out what could be a potentially big shift: They say the Taliban is no longer interested in ruling Afghanistan. They do, however, want sharia rule in place and foreign "invaders" out. If that happens, "we will leave politics to civil society and return to our (religious schools).”