I hoped this meant the end of 10 years of conflict and that peace at last was returning to Afghanistan. Unfortunately this was not to be the case. The fighting continues today. Worse, Afghans are fighting Afghans in an increasingly ethnic war unprecedented in Afghan history. Thus internecine conflict continues to the detriment of the Afghan people, the region, and the world.
War shows no signs of abating.
Elements of the Northern Alliance continue to resist and have actually improved their position in recent months. We believe there is no military solution to this conflict, yet the Taliban has demonstrated no willingness to work for a political settlement, largely because they still believe they can win militarily. We and others in the international community are working to change this view. Terrorism Afghanistan is geographically remote from us, but the effects of 20 years of conflict are not. Key U.S. interests are endangered.