Top US military chief meets the Taliban!

What an extraordinary development: General Mark Milley, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, meets with Taliban "peace" negotiators in Doha, Qatar, to appeal to them to stop the continuing violence in Afghanistan. General Milley served several tours in Afghanistan and must have spent the two hour-hour meeting biting his lips and tongue. And would the Taliban lot have been impressed by having the most senior American military chap coming all that way to plead his cause? Well, probably impressed but not I fear persuaded to stop the violence. There have been masses of attacks against Afghan forces in recent weeks because the Taliban believe that in order to get the best political deal with the Afghan government the most effective way is to step up the killings and maimings. It's a sick equation but in Afghanistan it's the reality. How wonderful it would be if the Taliban announced a cessation of violence over the Christmas period and then stop altogether for the sake of peace and stability and love of humankind. I expect General Milley made such a suggestion in so many words. But the Taliban have suffered from severe deafness for so long that it's unlikely they took his entreaties on board. But good for General Milley for trying. Let's see what happens but I gave up expecting peace and stability in Afghanistan a long time ago. Twenty years of appalling slaughter and we're almost back to square one, with the Taliban plotting to take/share power in a strict Islamic state. It makes you want to weep.