Guerrilla Warfare In Afghanistan
Exclusive pictures obtained by CBS News show Pakistani army troops attacking a compound in the fiercely independent tribal town of Wana two weeks ago, reports Correspondent Lara Logan.
They detained several men, including two al Qaeda suspects, believed to be Arabs.
This operation is part of the Pakistani army's latest, unprecedented efforts to track down Osama Bin Laden and his followers in the hostile territory along the border with Afghanistan.
More than two years since they were forced from power, the Taliban are still a threat in Afghanistan.
We're told there was a Taliban rocket attack on a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan last month. The Taliban say they've reclaimed a third of the country.
The U.S. army says the face of the war here has changed to a classic guerilla insurgency -- and they've adapted their strategy accordingly.
By having a regular presence in villages, the U.S. is using the enemy's own tactics against them, making it extremely difficult for them to hide behind the local population.
Security is the crucial issue here. So far more than a million Afghans have registered to vote for the first time in their lives but national elections scheduled for June may be delayed, in part because of terrorist threats.
"What would happen if the U.S. military pulled out of this country tomorrow?' Logan wanted to know.
"I think the system would collapse, the terrorists would become active, they'll take over the country again and we will go back in square one," replied National Security Advisor Dr. Zalmay Rassoul.
"Isn't that what the terrorists are waiting for?"
"Absolutely," said Rassoul.
"And hoping for?"
"Absolutely."
Although the pace of change has been slow, conditions are improving -- a new road linking the capital to Kandahar in the south is one of the most visible symbols of progress.
And there are now more Afghan children in school than at any time in the country's history, including almost one and a half million girls who were banned from education under the Taliban.
Logan asked one woman, "Do you think that women feel that things are starting slowly to change?"
"Yes, not slowly, fast. I'm very happy," said election volunteer Nazeefa Talash.
Future security in Afghanistan will depend on the Afghans themselves, and new national institutions like the army and police force, but they're still a long way from being ready or able to stand on their own.