Former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani was slain yesterday. Anand Gopal is terrified:
Remaining Northern Alliance figures will likely close ranks and conclude that any sort of rapprochement with the Taliban is impossible. Some, like strongman Abdul Rasoul Sayyaf, have reportedly looked to cultivate ties with India as a counterweight to what they see as an assassination drive spurred by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI). Ex-Alliance commanders, aided by U.S. programs to create local militias, will likely accelerate their drive to rearm, possibly setting the stage for a future civil war.
Jacob Stokes shares a slightly more optimistic take. Read Matthieu Aikins and Dexter Filkins for more hand-wringing about the impending collapse of talks.
The Dish 