The one-day conference will be co-hosted by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Afghanistan President Karzai and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

After so many years of war, this conference will focus heavily on trying to reach a peace with at least some Taliban fighters.

US commanders acknowledge the need to bring at least some lower level Taliban leaders into the political and social fabric of Afghanistan.

When asked if the Taliban could play a role in the future of Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top military commander, said, “I think any Afghans can play a role if they focus on the future, and not the past.”

But reality remains harsh. US military intelligence calculates the Taliban now have shadow governments in 33 of 34 provinces - raising questions about whether they see a need to come to the negotiating table.