As the violence continues to intensify, Kabul residents were shocked by the firefights that continued for hours between Afghan National Security Forces and reportedly 8 suicide attackers that had made their way into the fortified Inter-continental Hotel, which is mainly frequented by high level dignitaries and foreigners. As reports say, nineteen people died — including all eight suicide bombers — in a more than five-hour standoff at the Inter-continental that ended early Wednesday after NATO attack helicopters fired missiles to kill three suicide bombers on the roof. The incident is both embarrassing and worrisome. It is embarrassing because it happens at a fortified area in the capital, however given the precedent- that is to say- the attack on the brain of the government, the ministry of defense, it should have turned normal now. It gives rise to concern because it seems that nowhere is safe in the country and the unhappy brothers can commit atrocities anywhere they want.

The brazen attack occurred just a week after the U.S. President Barack Obama announced the beginning of a U.S. troop withdrawal next month. The transfer of security responsibility to the Afghans is due to officially begin in seven areas of the nation, including most of Kabul province, in coming weeks.

The main concern comes from the fact that Afghan people may once again be plunged into a new period of suffering and catastrophe because the insurgents have not been defeated and the government and national security forces continue to lack the capacity to tackle the threats posed by the terrorists and lunatic fringes. The gruesome incidents happen while international forces are still here. Once forces begin to leave the country, the prospect of insurgents turning more violent and revengeful is completely evident. In retrospect, it was nearly 10 years ago that the terrorists carried out their vicious attacks on the United States of America, which were orchestrated and plotted in Afghanistan, which was then ruled by the brutal regime of Taliban. The world felt a new security threat but Afghanistan found a new opportunity to begin to get rid of the evil forces that had made it the safe haven for themselves, and shake off the medieval signs. Many world nations came to Afghanistan with their forces and money to help Afghan people stabilize, reconstruct and develop their country.

In the early years of the first decade of 21th century, Al-Qaeda and Taliban, as the evils of modern world, appeared to have been touted in Afghanistan for good. It was trumpeted as a success story. But it was in 2006 that they begin to resurface and remerge, requiring the international community to refocus on Afghanistan and to go from light foot print to heavier ones to prevent the comeback of Taliban militants, whose ideology remains diametrically hostile to modern values such as human rights, women's rights and civil freedoms inter alia.

After repeated warnings by the military commanders on the ground that the world would face a resurgent Al-Qaeda and its extremist and destructive allies in Afghanistan, the U.S. president Barack Obama announced an additional 30,000 American troops to be deployed into Afghanistan. Last Thursday, president Obama announced withdrawal of a total of 33,000 troops by next summer, stating, "We are starting this drawdown from a position of strength." Although he categorically said, "We will have to do the hard work of keeping the gains that we have made, while we drawdown our forces and transition responsibility for security to the Afghan government", it is to be mentioned that it will be difficult to keep the gains peacefully and permanently if the Taliban militants are not dealt another vital blow to compel them to "break from Al-Qaeda, denounce violence, and abide by the Afghan Constitution", the conditions that should determine the reconciliation process if it is to be effective and successful. The leaders of anti-Taliban political groups and parties have already begun to think how to prevent from the emergence of the specter of a brutal and destructive force, a hard-line Taliban hostile to the values that form today's humanity. It is hoped that the president listens to the voices that call for a dignified peace based on justice. It is also hoped that international community shows patience until this overarching goal is achieved for the sake of Afghans who have suffered and continue to suffer from violence by Taliban tremendously.

Every week there is a big security incident with many casualties, mainly civilian deaths. Last week, the suicide attack rocked Logar province, killing tens of innocent people. In fact, these atrocities take place in one or another part of the country on daily basis. That is why one can say that, to our unmitigated chagrin, the media and press are the "museums of deadly incidents", to roughly borrow the term from Paul Virilio, for Afghan people. The man-made disasters such as the daily explosions, roadside bombings and suicide attacks are the terrible incidents that continue to torture Afghan conscience as they watch televisions, listen to radios and read newspapers. But, of course, the media and press fulfill their responsibilities and inform the public about the ongoing tragedies of killing, wounding and kidnapping that continue to happen across the country. All these incidents and disasters are caused by the terrorizing forces that continue to stubbornly take Afghan lives to meet their terrorist goals and serve their foreign bosses. The bitter fact is that there appears to be no genuinely effective strategic blueprints in place to prevent the disasters and move the country out of the ongoing crisis.The Taliban militants and other insurgent outfits affiliated with foreign networks do not abstain from or avoid targeting civilians, which is against humanitarian laws.

Afghan leaders, instead of mobilizing the people against these evil forces, are begging support from here and there for the ineffective reconciliation and reintegration programs, which has cost more Afghan lives by emboldening the brutal forces and providing them with the pretext to operate more freely and make Afghan universe a bloody and terrible one. This demonstrates a breakdown in the will of the authorities to preserve the gains of last ten years in humanity and not let the country return to chaotic situation of abnormalities. If the situation is not turned around, one can predict the collapse from the signs seen now.