Insisting that they have broken with al Qaeda, the Taliban are seeking a separate peace with the elected Afghan government, according to CNN.

The peace discussions, which are still in their early stages despite two years of work, where begun by Saudi Arabia. In the 1990s, Saudi Arabia was one of only three nations on Earth to recognize the Taliban government.

While it is too soon to tell what that means, it suggests two things: The Saudis do not see America’s defeat in Afghanistan as inevitable and want to play a constructive role and, two, Iranian influence in Afghanistan worries the Saudis more than American influence.

It also suggests that the Taliban wonder how much longer their Pakistani and Iranian friends will support them in the field and to ensure that they have a seat when the music stops.

As Americans, we should see this as a hopeful sign. Our forces are making a difference on the ground–compelling our enemies to search out countermoves.