The chatter is heating up:

U.S. Uses Attacks to Nudge Taliban Toward a Deal

U.S. Encourages Afghan-Led Taliban Talks

Push on Talks With Taliban Confirmed by NATO Officials

Head of Afghan peace council says Taliban is ready to talk

Meanwhile (top story), whilst our government holds firm on the CF’s leaving, not even a non-combat training mission:

Dutch open to Afghan return

The new prime minister of the Netherlands has opened the door to a return of Dutch military personnel to Afghanistan, saying his government would consider a Nato request to provide police training forces “as soon as possible”.

Mark Rutte, of the Liberal VVD party, stressed on his first day in office that “the Netherlands has always shouldered its international responsibilities in the past and will continue to do so in the years ahead”…

People close to the new coalition government said a consensus existed about contributing forces to Nato’s efforts to bolster Afghan police forces but that neither the timing nor the nature of the assistance was yet clear…

Other countries:

Afstan: Italy plans to leave by 2014/Fighters may start bombing/German combat Update/French progress Upperdate

So Canada may be the only ISAF country to bug out completely in 2011. Nice.

Update: It’s all about “asset optimization”:

Canada starts planning for Afghanistan withdrawal

Mark
Ottawa