A letter signed by former Taliban leader Mullah Omar, calling for Afghans to expel foreigners and return to the "pure" form of Islam advocated by the Taliban, has been circulating. There are still a lot of pro-Taliban gunmen in Afghanistan, but they are mostly operating in small groups and are opposed by larger numbers of armed Afghans who want an end to the fighting.

There is also a war of words going on in the media, as Afghans speak openly against the warlords who still dominate large areas of the country. The government has allowed a degree of press freedom that has not been seen for three decades.