Bill's latest at the Counterterrorism blog - Observations from Southeastern Afghanistan.

Here are some personal observations, from Kandahar, which are supported by numerous discussions with senior officers and the foot soldiers:

- Pakistan's lawless tribal belts are a major source of Taliban support...

- The Taliban is unable to stand up against the Western militaries when they attempt to mass in large formations (100 to 300 fighters, equivalent to company or battalion sized units). Their advantage is they know the local terrain far better than the Coalition forces...

- The levels of effectiveness of the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police varies from unit to unit. The Canadian soldiers trust the army units, but are very wary of police units. Corruption is a major problem with local police formations, as is drug usage...

- The Taliban's weapons are not as sophisticated as the media reports would lead you to believe...

- The strength of the Taliban lies in their ability to blend in with the local population, and intimidate or coerce the local population...

- The poppy fields provide a major source of income for the farmers in southeastern Afghanistan. The Coalition and Afghan government made a serous mistake in its implementation of a poppy crop eradication program without providing an alternate source of income...