Iran is training the Taliban, The Times says

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The attack was a training exercise overseen by Iranian security officials in plain clothes. The Taliban do not know whether they were police officers, soldiers or secret service agents. What they can say is that in camps along the border between Afghanistan and Iran, Taliban recruits are being taught how to ambush British, American and other Nato troops using guns and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

They are learning to attack checkpoints as well as mountain bases. Iranian instructors are also giving them target practice on desert ranges with Kalashnikov assault rifles.

... A Taliban (Sunni) commander who has been trained in Iran (Shia) said last week: “Our religions and our histories are different, but our target is the same — we both want to kill Americans.”

(via).

Meanwhile, the Taliban leader Hetmayar has "offered" a peace proposal (via), something shocking specially because he is the leader of one of the three most important Taliban groups. It would be quite stupid to make peace with one of those groups, while the others continue attacking. :|

The plan calls for a full withdrawal of NATO and allied troops by the end of 2010, a withdrawal of those forces from cities to remote bases in the interim, and a full turnover of security to the Afghan Army and police. "Foreign troops will have no rights to carry out military operations, house search and arrests on their own anywhere in Afghanistan," the statement read.

That said, I don't think NATO can trust any of these guys: they know that if they succeed in pushing ISAF troops to leave Afghanistan, their possibilities of returning to power multiply.

Cross-posted from T&P.

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