DTN News: Afghanistan TODAY February 23, 2010 ~ Taliban Turn Down President's Offer

DTN News: Afghanistan TODAY February 23, 2010 ~ Taliban Turn Down President's Offer *Source: DTN News / Reuters (NSI News Source Info) KABUL, Afghanistan - February 23, 2010: The Taliban on Sunday rejected President Hamid Karzai's latest call for peace, despite pressure from a NATO offensive and the capture of its No. 2 leader.Afghan President Hamid Karzai inspects a guard of honour during the opening of the new Afghan parliament session in Kabul February 20, 2010. The Kabul government is reaching out to foot soldiers calling on them to join a reintegration program in exchange for cash, jobs and land. The reintegration plan, which will be funded by the West and led by the Afghan government, forms part of efforts by Washington and its allies to build a foundation for the start of a gradual U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in July 2011. The United States and its allies have so far spoken only of reconciliation with those Taliban who renounce violence, sever ties with al-Qaida and accept the Afghan constitution. The Taliban have repeatedly turned down Karzai's peace proposals, saying foreign troops should leave Afghanistan first, but some tentative "talks about talks" have taken place. U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke said a number of fighters and groups were trying to "come in from the cold" as a NATO offensive pushes on. He did not specify how many.