The killing of Abu Laith al-Libi in Pakistan by a US Predator drone deals the Taliban a severe knock. The al-Qaeda-linked Libyan, who fought shoulder-to-shoulder with his men, was the mastermind and inspiration behind most of the Taliban's successes in Afghanistan over the past few years. However, the key elements of the Taliban's spring offensive are already in place, including peace deals with the Pakistani security forces that leave the Taliban free to concentrate on the Afghan battlefield. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (Feb 1, '08)