Amid ongoing withdrawal process of foreign troops from Afghanistan, Afghan politicians and authorities from some other countries are trying to gloss over the fact that this country is moving towards an unknown destination because of deteriorating security condition. There are possibilities that economic gains here would be at the verge of being lost once the foreign aids start diminishing, though President Karzai says Afghanistan has enough money in its treasury to eat palaw chalaw (Afghan foods) for two years in case of any emergency situation.

Ground realities deliver a very dismal picture of Afghanistan’s future. Over the last two months or so, the Taliban have launched a number of coordinated attacks in Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan despite that fact that heavy number of military and police personnel are deployed here. These attacks talk of their potential, strength and the will for continuing fight against the Afghan government and foreign troops stationed in the country.

There have been developments against Taliban in areas there were once considered their strongholds. These developments, however, remain fragile and could reverse with withdrawal of international troops from those areas.

According to an annual report to the US Congress from the intelligence community presented by US National Intelligence Director James Clapper at a Senate hearing on Tuesday, the Taliban’s leadership continues to shelter in cross-border sanctuaries in Pakistan, “which allows them to provide strategic guidance to the insurgency without fear for their safety.” The report further said, “We assess that the Taliban-led insurgency has diminished in some areas of Afghanistan but remains resilient and capable of challenging US and international goals.”

The report is quite pessimistic and downplays the boastful statements of the US authorities in which they claim progress in security condition in Afghanistan to make ground feasible for withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan.

Insurgency is growing in Afghanistan. Even a lay man knows it. It may further increase, once the foreign troops are out. And if that happens, threats to stability of Afghanistan and countries in the region might get enormous and West would also not feel safe.

In the decade-long US anti-terrorism war in Afghanistan, it cannot say it is winning it. Although the US and its allies are withdrawing their troops from here, insurgency remains undefeated. There is no guarantee that Afghanistan will not turn into an epicenter of extremists once again after 2014. It is feared that there would not be enough time to control the situation.