Despite having 100,000 troops on ground in Afghanistan in 2010, and expending enormous money and resources, the U.S. has not been able to win the war in Afghanistan. Why? In my opinion, the U.S. failed to engage in effective combat beyond the Durand Line, where terrorist hideouts were located and terrorists were operating inside Afghanistan.

A landmark peace conference could mark a turning point in the long-running intractable Afghan war. The attendance of a number of key parties at the summit in Moscow marks a major realignment of past positions. The Taliban was there in its first ever official. India was also present there. Vijay Prashad, a historian, author, and executive director ...