U.S. Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is scrutinized for his long-term involvement in Afghan policy, dating back to Operation Cyclone in the late 1970s. Khalilzad led the 2018 Doha negotiations with the Taliban under the Trump administration, which resulted in the release of Abdul Ghani Baradar. The current Taliban leadership's sophisticated public relations and their conflict with ISIS-K are viewed as outcomes of these diplomatic efforts.
