How can US officials do this–

The U.S. will have its first formal meeting with the Taliban in more than a year over the next couple of days in Doha, which will be followed by a Taliban meeting with the Afghan High Peace Council, the White House announced Tuesday. [Link]

And not meet with Hamas?

For the same reason that we can vouch for the political legitimacy of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt while denouncing the Brotherhood’s cousin in Gaza, Hamas.

For the same reason we worked with Sunni political factions in Iraq though they carried out suicide bombings against Americans even as we demonize any Palestinian group that used suicide bombings against Israelis.

Because there is a double standard in American political life that exalts Israel and deems Israel’s foes terrorists and its critics delegitimizers– when in any other context these would be political matters. Because of the outsize role of the Israel lobby in the US discourse.

H/t Max Blumenthal.