The government will hold presidential elections in 2004, as scheduled, despite media reports of widespread disorder. The government pointed out that some 90 percent of the country is stable. The foreign news media tends to concentrate on what goes on in the other ten percent, when comprise the areas where the Taliban had the most support.

Interrogations of several dozen Taliban gunmen indicate that most of them were recruited out of Pakistani Madrassa's (religious schools, many funded by Saudi Arabian missionary organizations). Some volunteered to escape boredom, others because money was offered. None had any objection to going on the "Jihad against Americans," or the prospect of killing Afghans. Most of the gunmen were teenagers or in their early 20s.