The release of an American soldier, Bowe Bergdahl, by the Taliban in exchange for five Taliban prisoners - all senior members of Mullah Omar's inner circle - from Guantanamo to Qatar, where they are to remain for a year, has drawn an angry reaction from the Kabul government. The Afghan foreign ministry issued a strongly-worded statement saying "no government can hand over a country's citizen to a third country as a prisoner", and called "for the release of its citizens so that they can, in accordance with international laws, enjoy their freedom." On the face of it, the outgoing Karzai government has taken a principled stand to uphold the rights of Afghan citizens, including the Taliban. The protest though seems to come from a deeper concern about the future, and is also aimed at placating the Taliban.
For a while, Qatar has been trying to mediate between the Taliban and the US, leading to the opening last June of a Taliban office in Doha to pave the way for direct talks between them. But the effort did not go far, first because a diplomatic row erupted between the US and the Karzai government over a plaque outside the Taliban office that described the place as that of the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" whilst the 'Emirate's' flag fluttered inside the courtyard. And then the US refused to meet the Taliban condition of releasing the prisoners. Secret talks, however, continued leading to the present exchange. Both sides had important reasons to make the deal they have at a time the US drawdown has already begun. Soldier Bergdahl, the only soldier in Taliban custody, has been in captivity for nearly five years. When it comes to one of its own, saving every single life is serious business for the Americans. Under its 'no one left behind' policy the US Defense Department is committed to recovering all missing - living as well as dead. President Obama himself phoned the soldier's parents about his release, and later appeared at a press event with them to show his people how deeply he cares about American lives. For his part, Mullah Omar called freeing of his men as "big victory" thanking the Qatari government for making "sincere efforts for release of these leaders and for their mediation, and for hosting them."
The main hitch out of the way, the two sides are now expected to engage in direct negotiations, hosted of course by Qatar, for a post-2014 Afghanistan deal. Following the prisoner swap US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said that this could provide a window of opportunity for peace in Afghanistan, and "a new opening that can produce an agreement." The window of opportunity is rather narrow considering that the US is to pull out all its combat troops by the end of this year; and if the new government signs - it is expected to oblige - the proposed security agreement for a residual force of some US 9,000-10,000 troops staying back for training and special operations, as per the timetable president Obama recently announced, all US troops are to leave by end-2014. Before that the conflict must come to a conclusive end. Hopefully, the talks will start soon, leading to a settlement for an all-inclusive, stable future for Afghanistan.
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