(NSI News Source Info) February 12, 2009: Taliban extremists on Wednesday launched three attacks in Kabul that killed more than 20 people, underscoring the increasingly challenging security environment as the US prepares to send more troops.
Barack Obama, US president, is expected to follow through on his campaign promise to increase the US focus on Afghanistan by announcing plans to deploy more US soldiers to the war-torn country.
Wearing suicide bomb vests and wielding attack rifles, eight militants stormed three government buildings, including the justice and education ministries. The simultaneous attacks in the heavily fortified capital came on the eve of the visit of Richard Holbrooke, the US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. 
Afghan policemen secure the area after a suicide attack in Kabul February 11, 2009. A suicide bomber blew himself up inside a government building in the Afghan capital on Wednesday while a gunbattle broke out near the presidential palace, police and witnesses said.
“We are reminded today of the brutal tactics that extremists like the Taliban wish to employ ... It hardens our resolve to get the next steps in Afghanistan right,” said Robert Gibbs, White House press secretary.
General David McKiernan, the US commander in Afghanistan, has requested about 30,000 more troops. Robert Gates, US defence secretary, has said the Pentagon could deploy an initial three brigades – roughly 12,000 troops – before the end of the summer if Mr Obama approves the move.
While Mr Obama is expected to pay more attention to Afghanistan than George W. Bush, senior officials have already played down expectations for what the US can achieve. Mr Gates recently told Congress that the US would “lose” in Afghanistan if the goal was to create “some sort of Central Asian Valhalla”.
The White House is also awaiting the results of a three-month assessment being conducted by General David Petraeus, the head of US Central Command, which overseas military operations in Afghanistan. That report, and another by the joint chiefs of staff, is expected to recommend that the US focus more on al-Qaeda militants, particularly those in safe havens inside Pakistan.
Pakistan also saw an attack on Wednesday when the city of Peshawar was hit by a bomb that killed at least one person. That attack came as Mr Holbrooke visited the city as part of a trip to the border regions at the heart of US concerns.
Afghan security forces rushed to secure the Ministry of Justice. Taliban suicide bombers struck government buildings at three sites in Kabul February 11, 2009., killing at least 20 people and wounding 57 in coordinated attacks that demonstrated the ease with which the insurgents can penetrate even Afghanistan's heavily fortified capital.
Hillary Clinton, secretary of state, has asked Mr Holbrooke to “co-ordinate across the entire government in an effort to achieve US strategic goals” in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In a move that sparked confusion about the role of Mr Holbrooke, the White House this week said Bruce Riedel, a former CIA official, will head an administration review of policy towards the two countries. Mr Holbrooke and Michelle Flournoy, undersecretary of defence for policy, will co-chair the review, which is expected to be concluded before a Nato summit on April 3-4.
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