Rebuilding Afghanistan

The recent spade of Suicide bombings on the eve of Eid festivities in Kabul and must be noted to the great detriment of the residents of this beleaguered city are disturbing manifestation of the growing strength of the insurgent groups; particularly in light of suggestions of negotiations between the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban elements of the insurgency. You ask is there that clear distinction within the insurgency? Well, while I cannot present concrete evidence of this distinction, it has been suggested that the present insurgency is comprised of a disconcentrated network of Al Qaeda operatives, former Taliban loyal to Mullah Omar, Drug Mafia, and insurgents loyal to Hekmatyar (former Mujahedeen leader of Hizb-i-Islami).

Can the suicide bombings be seen as attempts by the Taliban to pile more pressure on the government before subsequent negotiations? This would imply that the Taliban are indeed willing to abandon the insurgency, while this could be positive in the long run, it must nonetheless be seen with a cautious eye. The government has openly shown its willingness to negotiate a peaceful settlement with the Taliban, publicly calling on the Taliban to abandon their patrons referring to elements within Pakistani government and integrate into the Afghan society. While this is a clear public relations stunt it is nonetheless interesting to note the two parties trying to out manoeuvre each other prior to foreseeable negotiations.