an organisation to identify these rebels and offer them incentives to switch sides, such as retraining and government jobs.

Although the US is preparing to increase its force in Afghanistan - and Nato allies including Britain are under pressure to do the same - both Nato and the UN endorse a political solution. US General David Petraeus, Defence Secretary Robert Gates and President-elect Barack Obama have all spoken of bringing some Taliban in from the cold. According to Petraeus, there is "no alternative to reconciliation".

That said, Karzai's offer of asylum to anyone willing to talk peace - specifically Taliban leader Mullah Omar - has been diplomatically ignored by

the international community, and Omar remains on the UN's blacklist.

Analysts warn that "reconcilable Taliban will see no point in defecting" until the war starts going the way of the US, coalition and government forces. Karzai, meanwhile, has accused foreign troops of alienating the population, and interviews with some Afghans suggest they see the Taliban as the lesser of two evils - barbaric, ruthless and backward, yes, but more effective guardians of justice and order than the government.

Qadir told me that seven years of war have left him bitter about the wasted aid dollars, corrupt government officials and the innocent dead. His laughter grew less infectious and he became morose, pulling himself into a sitting position and fiddling with his glass of green tea. He is unready to negotiate.

He said he could have stabilised Wardak province - where the US now intends to deploy thousands of fresh troops - with a fraction of the money spent there on aid projects. "All international and Afghan officials are corrupt - that's why all the money disappears," he said. He admonished the international community for "obliging us to fight against them" and failing to appoint the right people to the right positions.

Qadir criticises insurgents linked to Pakistan, who kill civiliansJust as vehemently, he criticised those insurgents he said are linked with Pakistan's intelligence service, and whom he accused of attacking teachers, journalists and civilians, and destroying schools and bridges. The fact that he thought al-Qaeda was "okay" suggested he was letting traditional Afghan animosity towards Pakistan blinker him.

He was cagey over how extensively he supported the Taliban's political agenda, simply saying that life had been safer under the old regime. And he berated the suicide bomber who, apparently targeting a convoy passing near the US embassy in Kabul last month, succeeded only in killing four civilians.

"Small children became orphans," he said, suddenly tutting. "I really felt pity when I saw it on TV."

To Qadir's mind, Afghanistan will never be stable again. He appeared to see no contradiction between this sentiment and taking his men south over winter to fight the British.