Hamid Karzai offered to participate in negotiations with the Taliban, an offer that was seconded this week by our President and Richard Holbrooke.

According to the AP report , Karzai emphasized that his "overtures stood little chance of success without the support of the United States and its international partners."

He went on to do the all-too-familiar "pass the buck to the Bush Administration" two-step claiming that earlier attempts to negotiate with insurgents were not successful because "sections of the international community undermined - not backed - our efforts." (It is not clear if the word choice of "insurgents" rather than "terrorists" was Karzai's or AP reporter.)

Aside from the absurdity, nay, futility of negotiating with people who want to dictate, oppress and kill those who will not ascribe to their way of life, submit to Allah and recognize the supremacy of Sharia law, the upshot of this announcement is that we now know with 100% certainty just what it was Obama whispered in Karzai's ears around his controversial election.

And we now know with 100% certainty just what it is Obama has in mind with the War in Afghanistan: defeat.