There has been an increase in attacks on foreigners, as well as skirmishes between warlord forces. This is the sort of disorder that the interim government knows it can only deal with if an army and national police force is organized. But in the meantime, the only force available are foreign peacekeepers. But foreign states are reluctant to contribute a lot more than the 5,000 peacekeepers already pledged.

U.S. intelligence has detected the movement of smaller al Qaeda forces (the enemy still has to use some radio communications to coordinates operations) towards Khost and Gardez. Up to 500 al Qaeda forces may be involved. There may be up to 2,000 (or more) al Qaeda and hard core Taliban fighters left in Afghanistan.