America calls off negotiations to end its 18-year war in Afghanistan
But the American-backed government is still in peril
IN THREE TWEETS (how else?) President Donald Trump upended more than a year of painstaking American negotiation with the insurgents of the Taliban, who have been fighting to overthrow the American-backed government in Afghanistan for 18 years. First Mr Trump revealed that Taliban leaders had been due to meet him at Camp David, the presidential country retreat. Then, he explained, he had learned about a Taliban suicide-bombing in Kabul on September 5th that had killed an American soldier along with 11 others.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “No retreat”
Asia September 14th 2019
- America calls off negotiations to end its 18-year war in Afghanistan
- Japanese law and social mores still treat users of soft drugs severely
- India’s government is pouring money into dung
- A row about medals reveals disputes about East Timor’s history
- Bangladesh tries to muffle the siren song of the capital
- Japanese spies, once renowned, have fallen on hard times
From the September 14th 2019 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Asia
Can Donald Trump maintain Joe Biden’s network of Asian alliances?
Discipline and creativity will help, but so will China’s actions
What North Korea gains by sending troops to fight for Russia
Resources, technology, experience and a blood-soaked IOU
Is Arkadag the world’s greatest football team?
What could possibly explain the success of a club founded by Turkmenistan’s dictator
After the president’s arrest, what next for South Korea?
Some 3,000 police breached his compound. The country is dangerously divided
India’s Faustian pact with Russia is strengthening
The gamble behind $17bn of fresh deals with the Kremlin on oil and arms
AUKUS enters its fifth year. How is the pact faring?
It has weathered two big political changes. What about Donald Trump’s return?