Zalmay Khalilzad: “The people are tired of war. They want an end to the war.”

Afghanistan has sent a compelling message to the rest of the world that, by investing in that country's development, the United States is investing in success.

The Taliban can embrace a negotiated path to peace, make the transition from a violent insurgency to a political movement, or they can pursue a military takeover and face isolation, regional opposition, sanctions, and international…

Our work in Afghanistan is not yet done. It will take several years and sustained commitment of significant resources by the United States and the international community before the country can stand on its own feet.

The assumption was--it turns out to be wrong, ma'am--that the government would not collapse.