Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Taliban fighters celebrate the deal. Photo: Wali Sabawoon/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Today offered an immediate reminder that while a deal was struck Saturday for the U.S. to begin to leave Afghanistan, peace remains elusive.
Driving the news: The Taliban said it had resumed offensive operations against Afghan forces following a "reduction in violence" during negotiations.
- Three civilians were killed and 11 wounded by a bomb blast in Khost. The Taliban denied responsibility.
- Gen. Mark Milley acknowledged in a press briefing that "an absolute cessation of violence in Afghanistan ... is probably not going to happen."
- Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he would not abide by a deal to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners, saying the U.S. was "only a facilitator" and couldn't dictate such steps.
What they're saying:
"This is going to be a long, windy, bumpy road. That’s going to be the nature of this over the next days, weeks and months. ... We’re just going to deal with each situation as it arises and make sure we stay focused on the mission.”— Defense Secretary Mark Esper
The big picture: America has wanted out of Afghanistan for at least a decade. The deal signed in Doha could accomplish that.
- It calls for some 4,000 U.S. troops to pull out "within months" and for a complete exit within 14 months.
- The Taliban has declared it a victory.
The big picture: Since the American invasion in the wake of 9/11, 3,500 U.S. and allied troops have been killed, tens of thousands of Afghans have lost their lives, and the U.S. has spent $2 trillion.
- Polls suggest most Americans tend to consider the war a failure.
- It's unclear what will happen to the protections the U.S. has helped guarantee for minorities and women, including access to education.