Talking to the Taliban: peace at what price?

00:00:00
00:24:10
Donald Trump is becoming increasingly impatient about removing all US
troops from Afghanistan, 18 years after the invasion that followed September
11. As peace talks continue, Fawzia Koofi, a female Afghan MP, describes being
in the room with the Taliban, while the Guardian’s Emma Graham-Harrison
examines the slow progress for women’s rights that could be at risk when
international forces leave. Plus: Gary Younge on knife crime

How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know

Presented by India Rakusenwith Emma Graham-Harrison, Fawzia

Koofi and Gary Younge; produced by Mythili Rao, Amy
Walker and Axel Kacoutié; executive producers Nicole Jacksonand Phil
Maynard

Tue 5 Mar 2019 03.00 GMTLast modified on Tue 5 Mar 2019 09.20 GMT

Donald Trump has become increasingly impatient to withdraw US forces from

Afghanistan, a war he sees as having failed and a considers a continuing
financial drain. But after more than 17 years of conflict, with at least 38,000
civilians killed and millions more injured or displaced, removing troops is a
process fraught with risk.

The Afghan MP Fawzia Koofi took part in recent talks with the Taliban in
Moscow and, having fought for a female presence around the table, she was
insistent that women’s rights were not discarded in the process. Meanwhile,
the Guardian’s Emma Graham-Harrison discusses the slow improvement
in women’s rights since the Taliban was ousted from government and how
securing these was a key objective for the US.

Also today: the Guardian columnist Gary Younge on the inconsistent

response to rising knife crime in the UK. Two teenagers died this weekend in
attacks in London and Manchester.

Photograph: Ghulamullah Habibi/EPA

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