The U.N. exposes the limits of the Trump peace plan with the Taliban

By Bruce Riedel

Contrary to the Trump administration’s peace plan with the Taliban, al-Qaida is more embedded in the Afghan Taliban than ever. The Taliban have not renounced their alliance with al-Qaida. The maintenance of the alliance also raises disturbing questions about Pakistan’s role in sponsoring the Taliban war against the United States and NATO.

The United States and its allies intervened in Afghanistan 19 years ago because the Taliban, led by Mullah Omar, would not hand over Osama bin Laden to face justice for the 9/11 attacks. Al-Qaida was a state within the state of Afghanistan, with its own license