Episode Notes:

The Taliban claimed responsibility for multiple attacks, including one at a campaign rally for President Ghani, killing over 50 people and injuring scores more.

Alex Thier, Senior Research Associate and former Executive Director at the Overseas Development Institute, former legal adviser to Afghanistan's Constitutional and Judicial Reform Commissions, and Founder of the strategic consulting organization Triple Helix, joins the WarCast to discuss the current situation and the prospects for peace.

[ 0:17 ] Introduction [ 1:00 ] Overview of the latest attacks [ 1:35 ] The calculus of the Taliban [ 2:36 ] Prospective influence on upcoming elections [ 3:51 ] How uncertainty invites hedging commitments [ 5:56 ] Primary obstacles to peace [ 7:30 ] Lessons from the latest peace negotiations

Follow Alex on Twitter: @Thieristan