US has made it clear that it is not all that uneasy with Pakistan-Taliban Swat truce pact. It would think about a similar measure for Afghanistan too. That really explains how US and its NATO allies are now craving for an end to this long drawn out fight against terror.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said on Friday at the close of a NATO meeting in Krakow (southern Polland) that his country is not bogged down by that ’surrender theory’ nor does it regard the truce between Pak and Taliban as something to be fumes at. He said, ‘We have said all along that ultimately some sort of political reconciliation has to be part of the long-term solution in Afghanistan.’ His comment had more to do with the statement of NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. He said at the defence meeting that a broader regional approach was needed to help put down the insurgency in Afghanistan. The focus would be on more involvement from Pakistan, but could include even Iran one day.

Gates’ comments contrasted with those of Richard Holbrooke, the new US envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, who went on reord this week with his observation that the peace deal was tantamount to surrender by Pakistan. Asked whether US would approve an agreement between Kabul and Taliban along similar lines, Gates replied:

If there is a reconciliation, if insurgents are willing to put down their arms, if the reconciliation is essentially on the terms being offered by the government then I think we would be very open to that.

Gates’ statement has made people suspect that the surrender of Afghanistan has already occurred, but US government has not not been decent enough to tell the troops about it. Once a truce is reached it won’t be long afterward that the Taliban makes the final push to victory.