Back to Square One

"NATO Secretary—General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he was confident the U.S. troop withdrawals will not affect security Afghanistan."

I think he's kidding every reader of that statement. Increasing attacks in Afghanistan can, in general, mean a couple of things:

1. Taliban is losing its rank and file; so, it wants to exert as much pressure as possible on its counterparts before it vanishes
2. Taliban is acquiring both strength and intrepidity; so, it wants to kick everyone out and refill the void of arms with its own

Taliban, as every kid in the world (as Mr. Rasmussen thinks everyone is), knows that the US and NATO will start pulling out troops sooner than later. They can wait for a long time strengthening their ranks, as they once did until 2004 after their fall in 2001. So, if they are weak and burning their last reserves, they would rather wait for their enemies on the Afghan soil to retreat and then take over the government.

So, it is the second point stated above that becomes the reason for a spate in attacks. In such a case, what Mr. Rasmussen says is both naive and insulting to the general public of the world. I am neither suggesting that the NATO should stay there nor that it should pull out, either in phases or otherwise. It is probably too late for such suggestions. He's supposed to be an expert. Of course, he may have said so to prevent spread of panic. But, at least, make the wording a little more believable, less diplomatic and definitely, less stupid.