With no forceful leadership from the US president, the opportunity to bring the Taliban into a settlement is being lost Barack Obama spoke to one audience on his surprise overnight trip to Afghanistan, but was, in fact, addressing four. To a war-weary American public, he was saying: “We are out.” To Afghanistan it was: “But we are still in.” The Taliban heard: “We are still on your case.” And Pakistan was supposed to be calmed by: “Although we are still in, you don’t have to worry about us.” This was a mixed message if ever there was one. After a war this long, the menu of optimistic claims about Afghanistan’s current state of health is running low. Mr Obama chose the following: that he had broken the Taliban’s momentum (but not their campaign); that US troops would be coming home (although in November there will still be nearly twice as many troops as there were when he assumed office in 2009). Lastly he claimed the tide had turned

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