News analysis

Deal with Taleban would not have served Afghan, US interests

US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan would have left region facing worsening conflict

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President Donald Trump's sudden revelation and cancellation of a secretly planned meeting in the United States with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Taleban leaders pulled the US back from signing a peace deal that many predicted would take a disastrous turn not only for Afghanistan but the US as well.

The deal would have left the region destined for worsening conflict.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 10, 2019, with the headline Deal with Taleban would not have served Afghan, US interests. Subscribe