Global Journalist: Afghan war no longer about al-Qaida but Taliban

Loory: Many in the United States feel the country is fighting a good war in Afghanistan. The original enemy was the terrorist organization al-Qaida, headquartered in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan and responsible fo the tragedy of 9/11. The U.S. goal was to seek out Osama bin Laden, al-Qaida’s leader, and wipe out the organization. Sadly, the war is still going on, and a coalition led by the U.S., including troops from other NATO countries, is still involved. The main enemy is no longer al-Qaida but a resurgent Taliban, and the American government is under criticism for not restoring order. The Taliban have mounted attacks against coalition forces around Kandahar, Afghanistan’s second-largest city in the southwestern region, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai recently proclaimed a right to invade neighboring Pakistan to route out Taliban-led forces there. How dangerous is the reemergence of the Taliban in Afghanistan?