When I served in Afghanistan, I had the distinct privilege of meeting with Michael Semple; indeed one of the very few Westerners who knows and understands that country and its people. This decision to expell him does not surprise me. I don't think it came as a suprise to Michael either. There are those in Kabul, in positions of power and lurking in the shadows, who have steadfastly torpedoed all efforts at mediation and reconciliation, while protecting the warlords, including a salafist scumbag like Abdur Rasul Sayyaf.

Jim, the hague,

I read with interest all the views.
The reality is we must understand why we are there - which perhaps will help some understand why leaving is so hard and talking with the extremists is so stupid.
Just in case anyone has forgotten... We are there because of the Taliban support of Bin Laden. The support was providing a home for these people to enable them to carry out the twin tower attrocities in New York.
Defeating the Taliban may not be easy - but it can be done -
Just look at the IRA - In the end they accepted democracy to further their campaign.

Peter, Dublin, Ireland

There seems to be a misunderstanding of the words "diplomacy " and "negotiating",these are simply euphemisms for horse trading,to do that you have to have a horse that those you are negotiating with want.
In this case the Taleban want us out of Afghanistan,in return they will stop trying to kill our troops.This is exactly like Northern Ireland where Tony Blair's government surrendered to the IRA,in effect leaving the armed terrorist groups in charge.

Peter, Manchester, England

Talking to the Taliban is something that must be considered. However, this must be with the full knowledge of, and in conjunction with the Government of President Karzai. Any unilateral action by individual UN representatives is going to be detrimental and will cause suspicion and mistrust between all involved. The Irish and British representatives have acted without authority and cannot possibly deliver any agreement they may conclude with the leaders of the Taliban.

Pip, Sutton, Surrey

As Winston spins, Neville dances.

Dani, Happytown , USA

The sooner we accept that we (the UK)
a) have no right to be in Afghanistan, and
b) there will be no military solution, and
c) we can't "win" in any sense of the word -militarily, politically, or any other way

...then we'll see the need to talk or withdraw or (ideally) both.

Clive, Epsom, England

the only side that can negogiate is the one with the power i.e.
the allies.it has always been this way and if the taliban want to talk,what an opportunity.
surely even brown reads history.

rod smith, manchester, england

Such fools - you CAN'T negotiate with the taliban. Every splinter group with the will to sacrifice some of its own members will have a blueprint of how to achieve international recognition for years to come. Why don't we all sit around and hold hands and sing kumbaya too? I hear that works......

Phillip, NY, NY

This is in danger of repeating the American stupidity behaviour over Iran, where they have lost countless opportunities by refusing to speak and refusing to understand what's going on in Iran. We need to talk to the Taliban -not because we like them- but because they are the enemy. That way we can make it clear where we stand and what we expect of them. Otherwise we are just sacrificing our servicemen as mercenaries protecting the ruling Afghan elite and subsidising them to export heroin to the West to line their pockets .

Doug, Glasgow,

Gordon Brown has missed an enormous opportunity with his ineptness:
- the UK experience (IRA) has shown that negotiating with terrorists in fact DOES make a difference
- he could have set himself "above" what the world agrees is as a failed international strategy of the Bush/Cheny/Rice and demonstrated leadership, rather than playing the puppet of an outgoing and irrelevant US administration

Let's not forget that the US heavily funded the Taliban against Russian activities in Central Asia, and that they strongly support the non-democratic regimes in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. What the US supports or condemns has nothing to do with freedom, democracy or capitalism, but is entirely driven by their own self-interest. It's time for the UK and other Western governments to mature and stand apart from this willful duplicity, or the seeds of diplomacy will continue to die.

TW, SJ, Canada

Imagine that, a stab at diplomacy by speaking to the enemy to try and find a solution . Seems as if Karzai is simply worried that stability may finally stop him and his family from lining their pockets from poppy wealth.

Farrukh, Woking, UK

They were probably there to discuss the terms of their surrender.

Charles, Philadelphia, USA

There must be talks with the Taliban because the US want to humiliate The UK in Helmand.If Mi6 has engaged Taliban in Talks this is a big success of the UK foreign policy in the region. I personally support Uk in talks with Taliban because the Northern Alliance has secret links with Russia, China and Iran and gives all government and UK,US and NATO secrets to these countries. In the new alliance all communist have share and they are close to Russia, India, China and Iran.

musa khan jalalzai, London, Uk