Karzai and Western leaders have repeatedly insisted that their reconciliation offer does not extend to al-Qaeda members, who are seen as alien foreign elements whose extremist convictions and past terrorist activities make them unacceptable negotiating partners. Although al-Qaeda and the Taliban are united in their desire to expel Western troops from Afghanistan and reestablish a strict Islamic government in which they enjoy a monopoly of political and religious power, some Taliban leaders might accept more moderate goals.
卡尔扎伊和西方各国领导人们已经反复强调，他们的和谈对象并不包括基地组织。作为一种来自境外的外部势力，该组织的极端信仰以及恐怖行径都使他们被排除在和谈名单之外。尽管基地组织和塔利班都渴望将西方军队逐出阿富汗，并最终建立一个由他们独掌政治和宗教大权，严格执行伊斯兰教法的政府，但不排除有部分塔利班领导人可能会采纳某种较为折衷的政治目标。