Washington is suing for peace. When US forces invaded Afghanistan after the attacks of 9/11, Taliban leaders came up with a striking metaphor: the Americans have watches; we have time. Sure enough, the US, with all its might, has learnt, as the British did during the 19th century and the Russians more recently, that Afghanistan will not be pacified by foreign forces.
As Afghan politicians in Kabul argue about the result of the latest disputed election, US president Donald Trump has reopened talks with the Taliban leadership. Mr Trump, who a few months ago ordered US forces to abandon their Kurdish allies in northern Syria, wants to bring home the 12,000 or so US troops in Afghanistan.
Protests about the proposed desertion of another ally have been muted. Afghanistan is a forgotten war. Counter-terrorism operations, counter-insurgency strategies, nation building, drug eradication programmes, countless billions of dollars in financial aid — all have been tried. And the Taliban controls much of the country. Conventional wisdom now is that peace requires a political accommodation between the Afghan government and the Taliban.