In post-Taliban Afghanistan, politics remains a deadly business. The vice president and a cabinet minister have been murdered and Karzai himself narrowly escaped assassination. The most serious threat comes from a re-invigorated Taliban. They are distancing themselves from Al Qaeda and allying themselves with disgruntled warlords. Ahmed Rashid, one of the world's leading analysts of the Taliban, believes they are being covertly assisted by Pakistan: "The intelligence agencies have given freedom of movement and freedom of access across the border to the Taliban." In the madrasses of North West Pakistan, new Taliban graduates are still preparing to fight the Americans. The Taliban are remarkably well equipped with surface-to-air missiles, body armour and night-vision equipment. Another problem is that US officers simply don't trust the Afghan army or pro-Karzai militia. "A lot of the times you don't know who your friend is and who your foe is," complains Captain Mike Gonzales. Ordinary Afghans have seen little evidence of the $5 billion aid promised and are unlikely to see much reconstruction while the country remains so unstable. If the issue of security is not addressed soon, experts like Rashid predict that the situation will only get worse.

Produced by ABC Australia.