There appears to be a stalemate in security. There are no preventive measures in place yet as the Taliban militants increase their terrorist and suicidal activities. The so-called "disgruntled brothers" are attacking the high profile targets and officials. This time the insurgents targeted the symbol of president Karzai's government strength and national defense as on Monday, April 18, 2011, an armed man in Afghan army uniform entered into the Ministry of Defense, killing at least two Afghan national army soldiers.

Also Gen. Zaher Azimi, spokesman for the Ministry, was reported to have said a suicide bomber who had entered the ministry was killed before he had time to detonate his explosives. The Taliban has claimed the responsibility for the assault, saying that the militants wanted to kill the minister of defense. On Tuesday, April 19, police arrested two men with weapons and military uniforms in Kabul. The 101st Asmaee police zone crime branch chief, Col. Mohammed Zahir, has said that the weapons included 72 Kalashnikov assault rifles, nine heavy machine guns and military gear. It is important to break the spiraling violence caused by the Taliban and other insurgent outfits by improving the intelligence. While the government continues to pay homage to the 'disgruntled brothers', they have become more emboldened and see the prospect of their comeback as bright.

This is not impossible if the government continues to approach them in the way it is doing. The president seems to have decided to let the Taliban operate at their pleasure. What is the government's response to the killing of Kandahar provincial police chief and Kunduz provincial police chief? What will be the response to this brazen attack on the symbol of the government's strength, the Ministry of Defense? Again, the response will be the feeble voice of imploring the "disgruntled brothers" to lay down their arms and join peace, a dream which continues to remain elusive.

Given the surge in Taliban and other insurgents deadly activities, the call for talks with an extremely stubborn and atrocious enemy is becoming to appear dim-witted to many Afghan people whose daily lives are disrupted, who do not have the freedom of movement, who see their fellow citizens getting cruelly killed, who see the opportunities for rebuilding their country being squandered and who see that the lunatic fringes are gaining strength. It is, therefore, important to see the existing situation and think about the future. History will judge the government and the conscience that is ruling it. There is a need for building a broader consensus on how to get the country rid of the ongoing crisis of security, political instability and so many other issues

. It should be taken for granted that the people of Afghanistan are not going to go backward and return to any oppressive, suppressive or hard-line rule. This can never be compromised upon. It should be said that the absolute majority in the country now subscribe to this notion and want the country be a developed and modernized one, where human values are adhered to and citizens' rights rule.

Unfortunately, the government has been unable to give this message to the lunatic fringes very clearly and forcefully. The hesitation within the government has provided a context for the militants and insurgents that continue to destroy the roads, bridges and schools to operate more boldly and freely around the country. In order to weaken the militants, it is important that the intelligence service and security forces increase the detection activities as the Taliban militants and other insurgent groups have changed their tactics for suicidal activities. It is also important to control the recruitment of new soldiers more strictly because the infiltration of Taliban militants and other insurgents into national army and police force is very dangerous.

Reports also say that last week, two men were detained in the Chehel Satoon area for smuggling 16 Kalashnikovs and a machine gun in a vehicle from Koh-i-Safi district of central Parwan province to Kabul. These activities show that Taliban militants and other insurgent groups are using different tactics to challenge the government and international community.

The attack on Ministry of Defense should be thought-provoking and must compel the security officials to have a thorough review of the soldiers and put stricter rules and check on the recruitment process. Negligence and indifference can never justified when the security of the country is put in danger. Afghan national forces are supposed to take over security responsibilities of seven areas of the country in July this year.

There are around 174,000 Afghan National Army recruits and the number is expected to increase to more than 200,000 by the end of 2011. It is important to pay attention to the quality and not just to the number.

In the meanwhile, it is equally important to prevent the provision of Afghan security forces uniforms and IDs for the militants and other lunatic fringes. It is also important that the government and international community develop effective strategic blueprints to squeeze the militants and insurgents and not just rely on the peace process, which is bringing a heavy cost for Afghan lives.

Peace process should lead to real peace not to strengthening the militants that serve their foreign bosses. The government must come to understand that continuation of ineffective peace process and Taliban's violent responses, which manifest themselves in increased suicide attacks, roadside bombings and other terrorist activities, has bred fear and mistrust among Afghan politicians and people alike. Now the people are losing their trust in security agencies as well because they fail to defend themselves. So the current situation is very gloomy.

Unfortunately, there is the withdrawal schedule, which is supposed to begin to take effect in July and it is regarded to be very hasty considering the ground realities of still- unstable situation of Afghanistan. Any hurried exit will be a disregard to aspirations of Afghan people. The dream of a peaceful, stable and prosperous pluralistic Afghanistan has not come true as yet and the prospect of reconciliation with Taliban remains too gloomy and discouraging to provide the ground for realization of such a dream. Afghan people do have the aspiration to live in peace and security but the ongoing effort lacks any rational base to give the promise to meet this aspiration.