Christian Science Monitor: In a significant shift, the Afghan government and members of the Taliban have begun high-level, secret talks as a precursor to official talks aimed at ending the war. To date, the Taliban have rejected coming to the peace table, citing the presence of foreign forces in Afghanistan, among other issues. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has also been less than willing to talk, and while American officials support reconciliation talks, they have cited the need for all parties to accept the Afghan Constitution and renounce violence.