U.S. Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has one of the toughest tasks in the diplomatic world: facilitating the Afghan government and the Taliban across the peace process finish line.

His duties are equivalent to a therapist trying to reconcile two family members who live under the same roof but nonetheless hold a decadeslong grudge between them. The one difference, of course, is that Kabul and the Taliban are actually waging war with each other, with dozens of civilians dying every week.