Report From Afghanistan: That Other War

The Taliban are back--but then, they never really went away. Protected in Pakistan, the fundamentalists have had a busy summer and pose a real threat to the U.S.-backed Afghan government of Hamid Karz

In the mountains of Afghanistan, summer is the season for fighting. The past three months have seen more than their usual share of it as remnants of the Taliban, ousted from power by U.S. and coalition forces in 2001, have regrouped, attacked remote government outposts, held positions for a few days--and then, usually, vanished at the first whup-whup of approaching U.S. Blackhawk helicopters. Not last week. After ambushing a small garrison in Zabul province, several hundred Taliban fighters hid in a needle-thin gorge known as Moray Pass, waiting to attack U.S. troops and their Afghan allies. Shielded by overhanging rock, the...

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