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"The resistance is stronger and bolder today," the head of the Taliban civilian administration in Khost said. "A few years ago the Taliban could move only at night. Now we walk around in the middle of the day. We control our lands and our villages while [the Americans] can only come in by air. The government is besieged in its fortresses, and corruption is paralysing it. One of the main reasons for our popularity is the failure of this government."

"The war has changed," says a commander of the Taliban in Quetta. "I used to fear the government wherever I went. Now we move everywhere and carry our guns with us. Two years ago we were just trying to defend our areas. Now we control this area. It is a mistake to call all fighters Taliban. The Taliban are madrasa students and I am a mullah, but most of my fighters are peasants and farmers and students who come from government schools."

"The Americans came and sat here," said a former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan. "They said they needed to talk to the Taliban but could not find them. I said go and look, they are everywhere." The real reason the Americans did not talk was that they had no respect for the Taliban. "I told the Americans to respect their enemy. You cannot negotiate with the Taliban from a position of strength. If you want talks you have to treat the Taliban as equals."