THIS refers to your editorial `Pakistan and US must talk` (Aug 28). Of course it is best to talk things out. However, it is productive when both sides are genuinely interested in finding a solution, which is definitely not the case here.

Americans and almost everyone is fully convinced that peace is possible in Afghanistan only through a negotiated settlement with the Taliban. But whenever a move started in that direction, the Americans killed through it drone attacks lil(e the one that killed the Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor.

If the Americans are thinking of subduing/buying out the Taliban, the operation will require upwards of half a million soldiers over an extended period of time and trillions of US dollars, which is way above what they can cough up.

This means they are serious neither towards a negotiated solution nor a military one. In these circumstances, the best option for them will be to pack up and go home. Indeed that will be the preferred course as it will enable China, Pakistan and Russia, and possibly Iran, to make efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan in which as neighbours we have a natural interest. But America does not like that either because it wants to stay and complete its agenda in the region.

Additionally, they are giving a bigger role to India in Afghanistan, thus enabling it to squeeze us from both sides. Iran has to be taken care of to please Israel.

In such a situation, just how can we help, and what good will talking do? Riazul Hakeem Karachi