>> shepard: i'm shepard smith. this is "the fox report." it's the bottom of the hour, time for the top of the news. and after 12 years of war in afghanistan, the u.s. is set to start direct talks with the taliban. the hard line group is opening an office in cut qatar. the taliban gave usama bin laden protection, security, and a place to live and allowed al qaeda to use its bases in afghanistan to launch the attacks of 9/11. now we are starting peace talks. administration officials say they will try push the taliban to break ties with al qaeda and end the violence in afghanistan. the announcement came just hours after the afghan government forces formally too many over responsibility for national security from nato. "the fox report's" correspondent jonathan hunt is in our new york city newsroom with more on this. u.s. officials admit this