Complex Attack by Taliban Sends Message to the West - nytimes

“No one is underestimating the seriousness of today’s attacks,” Gen. John R. Allen, the NATO commander, said in a statement. “Each attack was meant to send a message: that legitimate governance and Afghan sovereignty are in peril. The A.N.S.F. response itself is proof enough of that folly.” - Complex Attack by Taliban Sends Message to the West