The death of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour could accelerate the breakup of a movement that ruled Afghanistan and gave sanctuary to al Qaeda before a U.S.-led invasion drove it from power in 2001, according to Afghans who track the group. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
The Obama administration’s decision to kill Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in his Pakistani sanctuary signals that the White House has given up on peace talks for the moment and is willing to roll the dice on trying to undercut the insurgency by decapitating its leadership. – Foreign Policy’s The Cable
The Taliban’s “shadow governor” in southern Helmand province was killed in an airstrike, Afghan authorities announced Tuesday, but the insurgents immediately denied the report. – Stars and Stripes
U.S. President Barack Obama approved the drone strike that killed Mullah Akhtar Mansour because the Taliban leader was overseeing plans for new attacks on American targets in Kabul, the Afghan capital, U.S. officials said on Monday. - Reuters
Editorial: Mr. Obama’s eagerness to declare the war over by the time he leaves office has ceded the military advantage to the Taliban, and security has deteriorated significantly since 2014 in much of the country. Afghan leaders have been pleading for more support, and for a commitment of 10,000 or more U.S. troops into 2017 and beyond. Mr. Obama wants 5,500 or fewer, but the Pentagon may soon recommend more. Listen to your generals, Mr. President, and take the air battle to the Taliban wherever they are. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Editorial: Gen. John W. Nicholson Jr., the new commander in Afghanistan, is preparing a recommendation on troop and air deployments that is expected to be completed by next month. If Mr. Obama is serious about helping Afghanistan move toward peace, he will approve the general’s likely request for more airpower and an extended troop presence. – Washington Post
Ahmed Rashid writes: The killing of Mullah Akhtar Mansour, the Taliban leader, by American drone missiles in a remote corner of Pakistan has certainly broken the year-long deadlock over prospective peace talks between the Taliban and the Kabul government. However, this unprecedented US intervention has also forced neighbouring countries, the Taliban, al-Qaeda and other extremist groups to reset their strategies – Financial Times
[O]ver the weekend, Obama again pulled the trigger, ordering the strike that killed Taliban leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in Baluchistan, far from the tribal belt. Now, some Pakistani leaders are rattled, saying they fear the United States is gearing up to bring the war in Afghanistan closer to Pakistan’s home front. – Washington Post