20 Jan. Associated Press - Afghan Bombings May Be Shift in Tactics.

... The U.S. military calls it a sign of desperation, but it's spooking other NATO countries as they prepare to deploy thousands of troops to the volatile south of the country to take over from American forces. Political opposition in The Netherlands is so strong it has led to a parliamentary debate on whether to approve the planned deployment and threatened to topple the government...

Suicide bombings used to be rare in Afghanistan. There were none in 2002, two in 2003, four in 2004 and four from January 2005 until late September, when the recent spate of 20 started, according to information provided by the U.S. military, NATO peacekeepers and Afghan officials...

U.S. military spokesman Col. James Yonts said the recent attacks appear timed to intimidate the international community ahead of two key events: an aid donors' conference in London later this month and the switch by midyear from U.S. forces to NATO troops in the south...