KABUL — U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday he believes victory in Afghanistan is still possible — not necessarily on the battlefield but in facilitating a Taliban reconciliation with the Afghan government. He defined victory in Afghanistan as a political settlement between the Taliban and the government, and an Afghan military that is capable of securing the country largely on its own. He noted that both the Taliban and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani have spoken recently of pushing for reconciliation. U.S. officials have conveyed messages to Taliban political representatives in Qatar urging the group to negotiate with the Afghan government. The number of Afghan combat deaths also is withheld by the Afghan government.

Source: National Post March 13, 2018 05:34 UTC