Defense Secretary Gates said Thursday that the U.S. could "ultimately" contemplate the idea of negotiating with the Taliban to secure a political settlement in Afghanistan, if the Afghan government were to pursue such talks, the Financial Times reports. Gates said a political settlement with the Taliban was "conceivable."
"There has to be ultimately, and I'll underscore ultimately, reconciliation as part of a political outcome to this," Gates said.
Eventually, Gates seems to be saying, we're going to have to talk...
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