Here’s an interesting if a little rough map of Kabul from the new ICOS (Senlis Council) report:
Judging by those traffic lights, the capital of Afghanistan is effectively under siege — except that, as you can see from the map, it’s easy for the bad guys to get in.
I’m guessing that one of the reasons there is no “siege mentality”, and consequently no tangible “evidence” that things are going down the tubes, is that unlike in the early 90s, or in other cities like Sarajevo, the besiegers have no artillery or rockets to harass the population with.
I’m also guessing that unless something is done, we will next see concerted attacks in the city centre by small groups of determined gunmen, and that’s when the siege talk will start.
Incidentally, the ICOS report calls for the doubling of ISAF to “a minimum of 80,000 troops”. It will be fun to watch how politicians in Finland squirm when Obama, not the hated Bush, comes a-calling.
