Monday, October 27, 2008

Bomber in Police Uniform Kills 2 Americans in Afghanistan

by: Brett Hulett

After this latest incident in Afghanistan, it is clear that the conflict in the Middle East is becoming increasingly complex as foreign intervention continues. Originally, bombings in urban areas were primarily done by insurgents--men with known extremist ties would strap bombs to themselves and set it off in the middle of a shopping center. However, things are now much more complicated; insurgents now use various disguises to hide their true identities. In this case, an Afghan insurgent disguised himself as a police officer, infiltrated a local police station, and set off the bomb that has reportedly killed anywhere from 5 to a number of more people. The Taliban have taken responsibility for the attack and claim there are a number of more casualties than authorities have stated thus far. This is not the only concern for officials in recent times; the opposition is using more extreme measures than ever before. Women and children are now being coerced, or maybe even choosing to participate in the violence. Cases where women or children stop convoys so that insurgent forces may ambush the vehicle are surfacing all over the Middle East. Military are no longer able to simply aim for the forces in the opposition's colors--there are a number of factors that contribute to the complexity of this issue. It seems that as American presence in the Middle East increases, the methods enacted by the insurgents become more and more ruthless. There may be one clear thing in this increasingly sticky topic, and that is that the violence is not going away, and may only becoming more like a guerilla-style, where anything can and will go.

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