A new report (download PDF here) published by New York University has raised questions about one of the central premises of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. The study says the Afghan Taliban have been wrongly perceived as close ideological allies of al-Qaeda. The authors of the study write, “It is not an ideology they share; it is more a pragmatic political alliance. And therefore, a political approach to the Taliban ultimately could deliver a more practical separation between the two groups.” The study warns that the Obama administration’s surge in Afghanistan may be making it harder to negotiate because the attacks have eliminated many older Taliban leaders, who have been replaced by younger, more radical fighters.