Spring Offensive Canceled, says NATO

That's a relief and it came just in time.

The Taliban won't be staging a "spring offensive" this year, just a little surge in violence, that's all. According to Brigadier-General Richard Nugee, it's best not to call what's coming an "offensive" because that's a very symbolic term that should be saved for something else, somewhere else.

According to Asia Times Online, everyone at NATO has begun singing a different tune:

"The commander of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces in Afghanistan, General David Richards, went out of his way on at least two occasions in recent weeks to express total satisfaction over Pakistan's role. He even attributed to Pakistan credit for the reduced level of Taliban activity since autumn.

"'The conditions are ripe for a complete victory,' Richards claimed. So what has happened to the crisis that Karzai has been complaining about in respect of Pakistan's alleged role in masterminding the Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan? Was it all a concoction by the international media? (Richards actually put the blame on the media for unduly exaggerating the Taliban challenge.)"

So, there you have it. There'll be no "spring offensive" by the Taliban this year and, best of all, when they do show up, we're going to be celebrating a "complete victory" over the insurgency. We're going to win this one this year, you can bet on it, right?