From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

The Taliban in Afghanistan. Back with a vengeance.

Hello again, I'm Mormon-A-Lony, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues, Americans care about most.

Hundreds of escaped prisoners and other Taliban militants are said to be dug in a few miles from Afghanistan's second largest city.

Thousands of villagers have fled from orchards and vineyards.

Today, NATO forces and Afghan soldiers launched an effort to drive the insurgents out.

On to the point is this a predicted spring

offensive, with Taliban forces better armed and more strategically savvy than ever before. Can they

further damage the already shaky regime of President Karzai? Can they kill enough coalition

soldiers to weaken support in NATO countries? On'm a reporter's notebook later on,

curveball goes public.

First, here's the news.

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and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Hello again.

Mormon Al-Nalny back with To the Point. NATO forces and Afghan soldiers have launched operations

against what could be the Taliban's long-anticipated spring offensive. On To the Point,

we'll hear what's happening on the ground and what's at stake for President Hamid Karzai's

regime. Would heavy casualties cause political trouble in Canada and other countries with troops involved? On reporter's notebook, Kurtzai's regime would heavy casualties cause political trouble in Canada and other countries

...