U.S. to bring back Khalilzad as special Afghanistan envoy: sources

The decision to tap Khalilzad, a Republican foreign policy veteran, comes as U.S. military commanders acknowledge a stalemate in the fighting and follows a meeting last month between a U.S. diplomat and Taliban officials to explore possible negotiations.The two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were unsure when the announcement would be made.The White House and the State Department declined to comment, and Khalilzad did not return messages left with his office.