RUTHFULLY YOURS

The good news is that this agreement is better than what the U.S. had seemed to accept in September. The Taliban have killed thousands of Americans, and Mr. Trump shouldn’t reward them with a Camp David signing ceremony as he first suggested.

The Taliban, or at least their representatives, have agreed to negotiate with the elected Afghan government for the first time. The Taliban want to establish an Islamist emirate and have previously refused to talk to the Kabul government. The Taliban have also promised to reduce their attacks on Afghan civilians and troops, as a week long test leading to Saturday demonstrated is possible.

For the first time the Taliban have also forsworn support for al Qaeda and are promising to prevent Afghanistan from being a safe haven for any group planning attacks against the U.S. This is the reason the U.S. sent troops to the country after 9/11, and the deal makes clear this is the main American priority.

In return, the U.S. is making significant concessions, in particular a 14-month path to the withdrawal of all American forces. The initial reduction to 8,600 troops from some 13,000 shouldn’t be a problem. General Austin Miller, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, says this is enough to fulfill the U.S. mission.

The gamble, and it’s a big one, is over the drawdown to zero by May 2021, including from all military bases in the country. This is conveniently after the November election, so Mr. Trump needn’t worry about a Taliban march on Kabul before then. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also promised on Saturday in Qatar that this will be a “conditions-based troop withdrawal,” and that it can cease if the Taliban reneges on its promises.

But the Taliban know how much Mr. Trump wants out, and it could decide to stand down until U.S. forces leave and then resume its siege against the government. A residual U.S. force including air power and special forces would be safer, but the Taliban and Mr. Trump both want the political boast of complete American withdrawal.

It’s far from clear that the Taliban negotiators can deliver on their violence reduction promises. The group is led by local and regional commanders who may not take orders from leaders based in Pakistan. The Afghans are releasing 5,000 Taliban fighters from prison as part of the deal, and many of them will return to the fight.

As for talks with the Kabul government, the Taliban will have to abandon their desire to rule by unaccountable Shariah law. Perhaps some power-sharing or regional-control arrangement can be worked out.

But it’s hard to see the Taliban agreeing to lay down their arms and join the Afghan security forces. The deal also has no guarantees to protect Afghan women, who have made great strides in education and health care since the U.S. intervention. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will need a united front that includes political rival Abdullah Abdullah to have a chance at negotiating a decent outcome.

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Americans are in a sour mood about foreign interventions, and after 18 years in Afghanistan the desire to come home is understandable. But public frustration shouldn’t ignore the major U.S. accomplishments.

Our forces have denied terrorists a safe haven and protected the homeland from another large-scale attack. We have killed the al Qaeda leadership, including Osama bin Laden. We have assisted a Kabul government that, while far from perfect, is free and democratic. We have brought basic education to millions of young Afghans who never had it. And we have trained and equipped Afghan security forces to defend themselves. No one should diminish the sacrifices that Americans have made with their lives and long deployments by dismissing these achievements.

“We will not squander what they and you have won through blood, sweat and tears,” Mr. Pompeo said on Saturday in Doha. No doubt he means it. We hope President Trump does too.