The Taliban have proved yet again that they have the coordination and cold military tactics that are lacking in the standard Afghan defense forces. This has become clear after they launched an onslaught over the meeting place where President Hamid Karzai was officiating in his endeavor to reconcile the militia forces in the country. The venue which had a military back up of 12,000 standing forces was apparently tantalized by attackers disguised as the Afghan army leading to the rocket attack that claimed several Taliban casualties and disrupted the key meeting up to a certain measure.

It has been the duty for the Afghan leader to dismiss such attacks and he has stuck to his guns and completed the speech he had prepared for the absent militia leaders, to the dismay of the anxious delegates.

The gathering brought together the 1600 Members of Parliament from diverse military, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and was one of the best attempts to date of offering clemency to the Taliban fighters. If the plan in the keynote address from Mr. Karzai’s speech works out, this would see the assimilation of the militia forces and other cultural minorities segregated by virtue of their alignment, into the civil service, defense forces, and afghan live in general.

Despite the claims by the Afghan government sources, that the ’people’s jirga’ will eventually work out some day in the future, there is little promise in this compromising situation where 28 disparate groups are at stake.

The attack also brings to mind just how difficult it will be for the present and any future government to unite the country. Part of the reason is the fact that the Taliban want to regain overall control of the country. There is also the money to be made from the poppy fields across the country. Many claim that they will not engage in any talks with the government until all foreign forces leave.

It is widely believed that if the foreign forces leave the government will be overrun and disposed of which may end up bringing these forces back. The cycle will only continue.