What About Afghanistan?

While the U.S. is busy figuring out what to do about the mess in Iraq, Nato nations are meeting to talk about Afghanistan, because the Taliban is back and doing very well, thank you very much
26 NATO countries have been meeting in Riva, Latvia's capital. The summit's main objective is to come up with a more solid plan of action in Afghanistan. The situation there has been steadily worsening since U.S. and Nato troops were sent into the region to fight the Taliban. 2006 will be the bloodiest year yet since the hard-line Islamist group was forced from power in late 2001. Almost four thousand people, a quarter of them civilians, have lost their lives in this year alone. Attacks against foreign forces and the civilian population have increased markedly and their tactics have become increasingly brutal. Reminiscent of Iraq, suicide bombings, roadside bombs and beheadings are starting to become routine.
Also in 2006, opium cultivation has risen by 60% and production by 50%. And since Afghanistan produces 90% of the world opium production, that is a pretty profit indeed. Enough profit to fuel the Taliban-led insurgence.
So basically, since Western troops have been positioned in that country, corruption has increased, opium production is up and the Taliban is back.
In an interview with "Die Weltwoche": Mullah Sabir, the top Taliban leadership recounts the mood at a recently held conclave at a secret location:
Mullah Sabir said: "Look at the news reports. Half of Afghanistan is again under our control. We have advanced to just outside of Kabul. President Hamid Karzai is a prisoner in his own palace. True, he constantly flies around the world and spends time with the powerful leaders of the West. But in his own country he does not even dare to travel around. You can well imagine that, at our meeting of 33 Taliban chiefs, the mood was anything but sombre."
In addition, the Taliban has unveiled their brand new and improved Taliban Codex. Its sort of the top 29 rules for Jihad, signed by the highest leader of the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan . This Book of Rules was distributed initially to the 33 members of the Shura, the highest Taliban council, at their meeting during Ramadan 2006.
This war on terror business does not seem to go well at all for the West. But every time I think that we should just leave places like Iraq and Afghanistan to their own devices, I find a picture like the one attached to this entry. And I think of the cycle of violence women and children are exposed to every day in those countries. What are your thoughts?
To read the complete Taliban codex,, follow this link. http://www.signandsight.com/features/1071.html