Editor's Note: In light of the meeting in Kabul today on the future of the Afghan peace process, we are republishing this analysis from December 2015. The meeting between representatives from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the United States is meant to review past attempts to negotiate with the Taliban and to renew current efforts. Since foreign militaries began drawing down in Afghanistan in 2014, Taliban militants have capitalized on the resulting security vacuum. Yet, as the group makes gains, it continues to fragment into warring factions. If the talks are to succeed in stabilizing the Afghan security environment, the full cooperation of the Taliban and its many divisions is required. However, negotiators have had a difficult time deciding which Taliban leaders to include and, because of the group's recent advances, trouble convincing them to participate.