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Also see: Afghanistan; India; Pakistan; Russia;
Jump to: 2017; 2018; 2019; 2020;
Undated:
https://www.politico.com/news/taliban
Undated: The Taliban or Taleban, who refer to themselves as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA),[34] are a Sunni Islamic fundamentalist political movement in Afghanistan currently waging war (an insurgency, or jihad) within that country.[35][36] Since 2016, the Taliban's leader is Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada.[37]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban
-- 2017 --
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January 22: Two days after President Donald Trump took office, the Taliban asked him to remove all U.S. troops from Afghanistan but hinted at a willingness to work with the United States.
The insurgent group posted a statement on its website Sunday calling on Trump to “put an end to the invasion.” But it also asked him to “help countries with their development” rather than with “bloodshed and destruction.”
https://www.stripes.com/news/taliban-hint-at-opening-with-trump-as-they-seek-departure-of-foreign-troops-from-afghanistan-1.450239
April 23: Afghan Taliban's brazen attack eclipses Trump's 'mother of all bombs'
The US military recently dropped its largest ever conventional bomb on suspected Islamic State fighters in eastern Afghanistan.
https://ewn.co.za/2017/04/23/afghan-taliban-s-brazen-attack-eclipses-trump-s-mother-of-all-bombs
April 25: The Taliban just rejected peace talks and partly blamed Trump
https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/ywx9xy/taliban-rejects-peace-talks-with-afghanistan
August 21: A year after President Trump announced his Afghan policy, the Taliban are closer to victory than we are.
https://www.weeklystandard.com/thomas-joscelyn/losing-a-war
August 21: Remarks by President Trump on the Strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-strategy-afghanistan-south-asia/
August 21: Trump steps up fight against Taliban, declares end to nation-building
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/trump-expected-to-announce-increase-in-us-troops-in-afghanistan-2017-08-21
August 21: Afghan Taliban 'Happy to Continue' War After Trump Vows Victory
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/Afghan-Taliban-Happy-to-Continue-War-After-Trump-Vows-Victory-441418323.html
August 22: Responding to Trump, Taliban Vows to 'Continue Jihad' Against U.S. Soldiers in Afghanistan
Taliban spokesperson responds Trump's announcement that he will deploy additional troops to Afghanistan
https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/responding-to-trump-taliban-vows-to-continue-jihad-against-u-s-in-afghanistan-1.5444776
October 17: Rescued Taliban Captive Thought His Kidnappers Were Kidding When They Said Donald Trump Was President
https://www.gq.com/story/taliban-captive-trump-president
October 23: Getting tough on the Taliban: Trump admin said to be urging closure of the militant group's Qatar office
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/getting-tough-on-the-taliban-trump-admin-said-to-be-urging-closure-of-the-militant-groups-qatar-office
November 21: Trump’s opium war: US begins bombing Taliban drug labs as new Afghanistan strategy takes hold
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/2120805/trumps-opium-war-us-begins-bombing-taliban-drug-labs-new
-- 2018 --
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January 27: 'We will not allow the Taliban to win': Trump's fighting talk after at least 95 people are killed and 191 wounded when a suicide bomber drives an ambulance through a checkpoint and sets off blast near embassies in the Afghan capital
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5320783/We-not-allow-Taliban-win-Trump.html
January 29: U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday rejected the idea of talks with the Taliban after a series of deadly attacks in Afghanistan, in an apparent contradiction of his own strategy to end America’s longest foreign war.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-blast-trump/trump-rejects-peace-talks-with-taliban-in-departure-from-afghan-strategy-idUSKBN1FI2BU
January 30: Taliban responds to Trump after US President said he would oppose negotiations with militant group
The media office of the Taliban has told Donald Trump to let it know when he’s ready to discuss the US’s exit from Afghanistan after the US President said his administration would no longer engage in talks with the terrorist group.
“Let us know when you’re ready to talk to discuss your exit,” says a tweet from the account of the media office. “Soon is better before it becomes very ugly for you in Afghanistan. You know how to reach us through our office in Doha”.
During a meeting with members of the UN Security Council, Mr Trump railed against a string of recent attacks in Afghanistan. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for a car bombing in Kabul on Saturday that killed roughly 100 people and injured many others.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-taliban-haley-united-nations-afghanistan-negotiations-talks-a8184451.html
January 30: Like Trump, Taliban reject talks, blame U.S. for bloodshed
https://www.google.com/search?q=trump+taliban&ei=nDTaW-GjOuLDjgT8mI6gCg&start=30&sa=N&ved=0ahUKEwjh4b_q5LHeAhXioYMKHXyMA6Q4FBDy0wMIaw&biw=892&bih=480
February 28: Afghan president might have just forced Trump to negotiate with the Taliban
Ashraf Ghani offered to recognize the Taliban as legitimate party.
https://thinkprogress.org/ghani-forced-trump-to-negotiate-with-the-taliban-1b22fc3d4602/
March 13: James Mattis makes unannounced visit to Afghan capital
https://nypost.com/2018/03/13/james-mattis-makes-unannounced-visit-to-afghan-capital/
March 13: Mattis arrives in Afghanistan, says some in Taliban may be willing to pursue peace
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2018/03/13/pentagon-chief-mattis-arrives-in-afghanistan-discusses-reconciliation-with-the-taliban/?utm_term=.c3afd2754351
July 15: White House Orders Direct Taliban Talks to Jump-Start Afghan Negotiations
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/15/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-direct-negotiations.html
July 16: The Trump administration is making a renewed push to jump-start peace talks in Afghanistan and is considering restarting direct negotiations with the Taliban, a move that in the past has drawn protests from the Afghan government.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/the-trump-administration-weighs-direct-talks-with-the-taliban/2018/07/16/f963df22-8919-11e8-8aea-86e88ae760d8_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.75610cb294f9
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July 16: Trump sends envoys to Afghanistan to open talks directly with Taliban over peace deal
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/16/trump-sends-envoys-afghanistan-open-talks-directly-taliban-peace/
July 30: Impatient Trump drives U.S. push for peace talks in Afghanistan
“There’s a danger that the Taliban will smell weakness,” one foreign diplomat said.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/impatient-trump-drives-u-s-push-peace-talks-afghanistan-n895636
July 30: Will Donald Trump Get in the Way of the Best Chance in More Than a Decade to End the War in Afghanistan?
https://theintercept.com/2018/07/30/afghanistan-peace-talks-taliban-trump/
August 13: Taliban blindside U.S. forces with surprise Afghan offensive
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/aug/13/taliban-surprise-offensive-afghanistan-catches-us-/
August 16: Trump's strategy is failing and the Taliban is winning
Yet, despite this being the singular foreign policy issue that President Trump has personally delineated a lengthy strategy on, the White House has not appeared dismayed.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/16/asia/afghan-analysis-npw-intl/index.html
August 22: Trump strategy is working, departing general in Afghanistan says
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/08/22/trump-strategy-is-working-departing-general-in-afghanistan-says/
August 23: One Year On, Little to Show for Trump’s Afghanistan Strategy
The Pentagon says the United States is winning the war, but after 17 years, there’s still no end in sight.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/08/23/one-year-on-little-to-show-for-trumps-afghanistan-strategy/
September 2: U.S. suspends $300 million in aid to Pakistan over Taliban support
https://www.axios.com/united-states-aid-pakistan-300-million-taliban-8efe8f49-1d6f-4e5f-9e9e-bc0c32c87a2c.html
September 6: Mattis in Afghanistan as US pushes for Taliban deal
Trump administration looks for ways to end the country’s long war
https://www.ft.com/content/840d5830-b1ae-11e8-99ca-68cf89602132
September 12: Taliban set for new talks with U.S.
https://thehill.com/policy/international/406247-taliban-set-for-new-talks-with-us
September 13: In exclusive interview, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani insists Trump’s Taliban strategy is working
https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/zm5vn4/in-exclusive-interview-afghanistans-president-ashraf-ghani-insists-trumps-taliban-strategy-is-working
September 21: Donald Trump’s Desire to ‘Get the Hell Out’ of Afghanistan Amid Taliban Gains Could Lead to Catastrophe
https://www.newsweek.com/2018/10/26/donald-trump-get-hell-out-afghanistan-amid-taliban-gains-catastrophe-1132203.html
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October 13: U.S. Officials Meet With Taliban Again as Trump Pushes Afghan Peace Process
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/13/world/asia/us-talks-taliban-afghanistan.html
October 22: The Taliban just took a shot at America’s top general in Afghanistan and barely missed, the latest sign the US is losing the war
https://www.businessinsider.com/taliban-attack-on-us-general-shows-trumps-afghanistan-strategy-failing-2018-10
October 30: ‘Taliban Five,’ Once Held at Guantanamo, Join Insurgency’s Political Office in Qatar
Move follows two rounds of talks between the Taliban and American officials in July and October
https://www.wsj.com/articles/taliban-five-once-held-at-guantanamo-join-insurgencys-political-office-in-qatar-1540890148
October 31: After Trump Rejects Talks, Afghanistan Says Taliban Must Be Defeated On The Battlefield
https://www.ajc.com/news/after-trump-rejects-talks-afghanistan-says-taliban-must-defeated-the-battlefield/CbmSYtiwFsiFwWPcswxcTN/
October 31: Taliban control more territory in Afghanistan than at any point since 2001, US inspector says
https://kbzk.com/cnn-europe-mideast-africa/2018/10/31/taliban-control-more-territory-in-afghanistan-than-at-any-point-since-2001-us-inspector-says/
December 20: Trump Orders Big Troop Reduction in Afghanistan
About half of the 14,000 U.S. forces will return home in the coming weeks, the start of a total pullout that could take at least many months
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-administration-is-considering-substantial-afghan-troop-drawdown-11545341452
December 21: Taliban greets Pentagon's withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan with cries of victory
"The 17-year long struggle and sacrifices of thousands of our people finally yielded fruit," said a senior commander in Helmand.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/taliban-greets-pentagon-s-withdrawal-troops-afghanistan-cries-victory-n950811
December 22: Trump's withdrawal from Afghanistan ignores a dangerous threat
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46656172
-- 2019 --
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January 2: Trump’s 2019 Vision: Let Others Fight Our Battles
The U.S. president says Afghanistan is Pakistan and Russia’s business and calls Syria nothing but “sand and death.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/01/02/trumps-2019-vision-let-others-fight-our-battles/
January 31: US envoy defends Taliban peace talks, Trump says deal means Afghanistan withdrawal
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-envoy-afghanistan-defends-taliban-peace-talks-path/story?id=60751348
February 2: As U.S. Seeks To Withdraw Troops, What About Afghanistan's Women?
Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. special representative, told the New York Times the Taliban has agreed not to permit Afghanistan from becoming a home for international terrorists. Khalilzad did not mention any negotiations regarding the rights of women.
Under the Taliban, women couldn't leave their homes without a male relative. Women couldn't go to school or work. They couldn't speak in public. They couldn't be treated by a doctor. They could be beaten for reading a book.
If so much as an inch of a woman's flesh was exposed — like a flash of ankle beneath the burqa when they walked — they could be beaten. Many women were beaten, and raped, and stoned to death.
The constitution Afghanistan adopted in 2004 enshrines the rights of women, and today, 27 percent of the members of the Afghan parliament are women. But as many as two-thirds of school age women in Afghanistan may not be in school, because they live in areas where the Taliban is powerful.
Will the U.S. work for an agreement that will not only let U.S. troops declare victory over terrorism and go home, but also help Afghan women live free from the terror of oppression?
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/02/690857773/opinion-as-u-s-seeks-to-withdraw-troops-what-about-afghanistans-women
May 23: American who joined the Taliban is released from prison
John Walker Lindh, the Californian who took up arms for the Taliban and was captured by invading U.S. forces in Afghanistan in 2001, got out of prison Thursday after more than 17 years, released under tight restrictions that reflected government fears he still harbors radical views.
Lindh, 38, left a federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, after getting time off for good behavior from the 20-year sentence he received upon pleading guilty to providing support to the Taliban.
It was not immediately clear where the man known as the “American Taliban” will live or what he will do.
https://www.apnews.com/24e30be3a75949b7aa3b30946703140d
-- 2020 --
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