Ruined freedom

News about another Taliban act of terror in Afghanistan are now perceived by everyone as another informational routine — an average man cares about it just as much as about the monotonous military reports from Iraq. But January 2010 events in Kabul showed the whole world something very important and remarkable: it took place in the very center of the capital, where a lot of international and local security forces were concentrated. It seemed to be the most invulnerable place of all Afghanistan but Taliban dared to send its suicide bombers to organize series of explosions there and even more than that — fierce fights lasted few hours. Despite the fact that attackers were finally killed, there were only 20 of them, according to the "Al-Jazeera" channel information. So Talibs made it absolutely clear that they can rule the roost whenever they want, even in seemingly secure Kabul and even having little number of fighters.

"Indestructible freedom" operation started in October of 2001. Terror attacks of 9/11 became the casus belli for the first Afghanistan bombing initiated by the George Bush Jr. administration. During the first two years of this armed confrontation America has reached some success: it has dislodged Talibs out of the Afghan territory and has established such political powers configuration that was convenient for the USA. But in 2003 Taliban started to revive gradually and finally regain the lost positions. Guerrilla war and numerous acts of terror became the main methods of the movement led by Mullah Omar. All of this caused heavy casualties among the NATO troops and civil population.

Tremendous growth of the opiates production and an increased drug export to the neighboring countries — including Russia where the drugs were trafficked through the territory of the Central-Asian states — became one of the mournful outcomes of the unfinished war. American set — closing their eyes to the massive heroin production of the occupied country — has largely contributed to the quite tolerant attitude of the civil Afghans. When Taliban was at power they’ve managed to control the poppy fields, having profiteered on that, of course.

But now Taliban is raising its head higher and higher and the latest proof of that has been recently given in Kabul. Offensive took place on the day when 14 ministers of the new government were to take the oath. This has just emphasized the well-known fact once again — Taliban is not afraid of the puppet leadership of the country, headed by Hamid Karzai, whom only the laziest ones haven’t blamed for corruptness. Earlier, in autumn of 2009 terrorists have attacked the UN building, also situated in the center of Kabul. 6 members of the UN legation were killed. This act has made the foreigners living in Afghanistan — including those who were really helping out the international forces — to think about the reasonability of their presence over there and few hundreds of them have actually left the country.
So what was it all for? What did NATO troops and Afghan children die for? What did the international community paid billions of dollars for? It seems to be a vicious circle: the more victims this war devours, the more unstable the situation becomes...
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