Rapid Fire June 19, 2013: US, Taliban, Afghan Govt at Odds over Peace Talks

• President Obama announced the US will try to talk the Taliban – via an office the insurgents set in Qatar – into accepting “an Afghan constitution that renounces ties with al Qaeda, ends violence and is committed to the protection of women and minorities in the country.” Good luck with that. Afghan President Karzai poured water over the talks unless he’s in the loop and the US is out of it. Meanwhile the Afghan National Security Forces also formally assumed the lead for combat operations in their country. Reuters has a little more on what the Taliban want. Hint: not equality for women.