Since retaking power, the Taliban has cracked down on human rights and deprived women and girls of fundamental freedoms. The outlook for productive engagement is dim. Yet there may have been a window, in the early months after the fall of the republic, to do things differently. Researcher Ashley Jackson speaks to aid workers and activists involved in direct negotiations with the Taliban, as well as representatives from the US and Taliban governments. And she takes a look at two intertwined questions: What might have been done differently then? And what should, or could, be done now?
Why did some of the world’s smartest and most experienced negotiators fail for 20 years to mediate a peace deal in Afghanistan? Find out on “The Afghan Impasse,” a special seven-episode season of The Negotiators from Doha Debates and Foreign Policy. Each episode focuses on a different phase of the talks, brought to us by a veteran reporter who has spent years living and working in the region.
Prefer to listen to the episodes all in one go? Listen to the full season ad-free on Wondery+.
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