The bullshitter said he was about to have a secret meeting in the US with Taliban negotiators, and cancelled it because they carried out a bomb attack in Afghanistan. (No cease-fire had been agreed.)

Lots of politicians criticized him for this, al everyone assuming he was telling the truth about what he had done. I wouldn't believe, on his say-so, that he had cancelled a meeting, or that there ever was a plan for a meeting.

Then the Taliban affirmed that the bullshitter cancelled a meeting with them. Amazing — he told the truth about this!

I don't agree with the critics that there is anything wrong in inviting Taliban negotiators to meet with US representatives, whether in the US, or anywhere else. I am surprised though that they trusted him enough to say they would come.

The bullshitter's approach to diplomacy is to posture as tough by canceling meetings on whatever excuse comes to hand. I don't see anything inherently wrong with that maneuver, but I doubt it pressures other countries' negotiators as he thinks it does. I expect they see through it.

That being so, if it creates a problem in negotiations, at least it won't be permanent.