JUDY WOODRUFF: In early October 2001, the first U.S. military personnel set foot in
Afghanistan.
Today, there are U.S. soldiers deployed to Afghanistan who were not born in October 2001.
Tomorrow, in Qatar, the United States will sign an agreement with the Taliban, whose
government the U.S. deposed more than 18 years ago, and begin a process that may end America's
longest war.
Nick Schifrin is back with this look at the details and the stakes.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Along the banks of the Kabul River today, after decades of war, there is
a rare and precious commodity available in the market: hope.
BURHANUDDIN SIRAT, Afghanistan (through translator): We are happy and hopeful that the killing
of the Afghans will end. Mothers will no longer lose their children, and, God willing, a lasting
peace agreement will be signed, and Afghans will start a comfortable life.
NICK SCHIFRIN: For seven days, Kabul has been quiet enough for the U.S. and Afghan top military
officials to take a stroll. General Scott Miller and acting Defense Minister Asadullah
Khalid say they have held their fire, and the Taliban have proven a willingness and
ability to significantly reduce violence.
GEN. SCOTT MILLER, U.S. Military Commander in Afghanistan: We're seeing what we would
call a downward trend in violence, which is great for the Afghan people. It's great for
the country of Afghanistan.
ASADULLAH KHALID, Acting Afghan Defense Minister (through translator): The sacrifices of our
hardworking Afghan forces and patience of our great nation caused this reduction in
violence. We hope, inshallah, this results in a cease-fire and enduring peace.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Now that the reduction in violence week has succeeded, tomorrow, in Doha, lead
U.S. negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad is expected to sign a peace deal with lead Taliban negotiator
Mullah Beradar.
The top U.S. priority is the peace deal's first item, Taliban repudiation of al-Qaida
and ISIS.
SCOTT WORDEN, United States Institute of Peace: It contains provisions for the Taliban to
renounce support of al-Qaida in varying ways, no training areas, no funding, no -- certainly
no organization to plan any kind of attacks.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Scott Worden directs the U.S. Institute of Peace's Afghanistan and Central
Asia Program. He says progress on the Taliban renouncing terrorists will lead to a staged
U.S. withdrawal.
SCOTT WORDEN: It's conditional on whether the Taliban uphold their agreements, particularly
with regard to the links that they have to terrorism, which they are severing.
NICK SCHIFRIN: The biggest challenge may be item number three, direct negotiations between
the Taliban and a split Afghan government.
Ashraf Ghani has celebrated his reelection as president. But his chief rival, Abdullah
Abdullah, says he is president, and rejected recently announced results of last year's
election.
SCOTT WORDEN: There needs to be some degree of political stability and security in Afghanistan,
or else the safe havens will come back. And so, while this is talking about U.S. troop
withdrawal and Taliban counterterrorism guarantees, none of that will be worth very much over
time if there's not a political resolution.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Direct Taliban-Afghan government talks are scheduled to begin March the 10th,
likely in Oslo, but the Afghan government hasn't yet agreed on a promised prisoner release
or its negotiating team.
Ghani wants his team. The U.S. wants a more inclusive group.
SCOTT WORDEN: There are definitely significant divisions among the political groups within
Afghanistan, and the degree of unity there is at the talks translates to the degree of
strength and leverage that the Afghan government's side will have against the Taliban's vision
of a future Afghanistan.
So, a lack of unity is an impediment to quick or successful negotiations.
NICK SCHIFRIN: But the Taliban have never renounced their desire to dominate the country.
Since 2001, when the U.S. overthrew a Taliban government, Afghanistan has transformed.
Women are educated. There are modern communications. And Afghans advocate for a direct say in who
governs them.
Human rights advocate Shukria Jalalzai fears progress is delicate.
SHUKRIA JALALZAI, Afghan Women's Rights Activist (through translator): Right now, women's concerns
are considered seriously, and their voices are heard. The question is, when the Taliban
comes to the country, would they accept women in the same way or not?
NICK SCHIFRIN: But for the U.S., this is the most serious effort to end the war. Military
and diplomatic officials are united that there's no military solution, and President Trump
is uninterested in keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan if they're mostly advising Afghans.
DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: They have to police their own country. I can
tell you, after 19 years, we'd like to bring our young people back home.
NICK SCHIFRIN: And so the U.S. hopes that tomorrow will be the beginning of the end
of the longest war that long ago became a grinding and bloody stalemate.
For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Nick Schifrin.