Taliban attacks rise
The week's news at a glance.
Kabul
The West underestimated what it would take to rebuild Afghanistan, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said this week during a surprise visit to Kabul. Blair said that five years after the invasion, rapidly accelerating violence across the country shows that the war is not close to an end. “I think we are wiser now to the fact this is a generation-long struggle,” he said. “I am not saying we remain here in the same way for that length of time, but I am saying that overall the roots of the Taliban and al Qaida are deep.” Insurgents this year have been carrying out an average of 600 attacks a month on NATO or Afghan forces, compared with 130 a month last year.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Critics’ choice: Restaurants worthy of their buzz
feature A fun bistro, a reservation worth the wait, and a modern twist on Mexican dishes
By The Week US Published
-
Film reviews: Snow White, Death of a Unicorn, and The Alto Knights
Feature A makeover for Disney’s first animated feature, greedy humans earn nature’s wrath, and a feud between crime bosses rattles the mob
By The Week US Published
-
Bombs or talks: What’s next in the US-Iran showdown?
Talking Points US gives Tehran a two-month deadline to deal
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published