Afghan guerrillas attacked a US forward operating base in Gardez, Paktia Province, on Friday. NATO issued a press release, saying “The attack began when a vehicle, followed closely by four suicide vest-wearing insurgents, attempted to breach a fortified area of the base.” The attackers were forced to flee or were killed, and there were no US casualties. (The Taliban spokesman made typically exaggerated claims in this regard).
Attacks on US bases, once rare, are becoming increasingly common and sophisticated.
In the Pushtun east, a bomb killed two Western troops, while a firefight in Laghman Province left 34 insurgents dead.
Meanwhile, almost 4000 complaints about the recent parliamentary election have flooded into the complaints commission, and international observers are increasingly willing to consider the possibility that the vote was so marred by fraud and irregularities as to be invalid.
The question raised by the CSM’s Dan Murphy a couple of days ago, as to whether the elections have finished off the democratic ideal in Afghanistan and given a large opening to the Taliban, becomes more salient with every passing day.
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