'There is no lull'

Afghanistan | In the multi-front global war on terrorism, even among those operations that seemed settled, much work remains | by Mindy Belz | Mindy Belz

With al-Qaeda operatives handcuffed last week from upstate New York to Pakistan, the first phase of the war on terror might appear to be winding down. But hold the mops when it comes to Afghanistan.

Even as the country prepares its comeback in the international soccer arena, radical Islamic fighters are making life difficult again. Rumblings of new battles had U.S. Special Forces back in horse saddles in eastern Afghanistan last week.

They are on the lookout for Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, once an important U.S. ally. The Pashtun warlord issued a 9/11 anniversary call to "freedom-loving Afghans to take part in jihad in their country against aggressor forces," referring to the United States. He called the United States the "mother of terrorism" and denounced "gutless Afghans who are fighting their fellow countrymen in support of aliens."