The good news is that five years after 9/11, Afghanistan is no longer under the control of the medieval Taliban and its al Qaeda partners. The bad news is that five years after 9/11, it doesn’t appear that Afghanistan is under anyone’s control.

A US-led NATO force is trying to change that, but its work is far from over. In fact, NATO forces are in the midst of a large-scale push against a revived Taliban. With more than a dozen NATO troops killed over the past two weeks, NATO is learning that this is not Bosnia or Kosovo. This is a counterinsurgency war in one of the most remote and hostile places on earth. And NATO’s commitment to the mission remains to be seen.

Last week, for instance, NATO commander Gen. James L. Jones said alliance members have only contributed 85 percent of the forces pledged to stabilize Afghanistan. According to Jones, NATO’s Afghanistan force needs as many as 2,500 more soldiers. Hopefully, NATO members will rise to the challenge when their military chiefs meet this coming week in Warsaw.

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