Winding Down

We have 19 days left in country.  Around the post and in my office, already people are beginning to leave and their replacements come in, as the summer transfer season begins.  Over the next 60 days, about 90% of my office will rotate out.  People are giving away plants and unused, probably never to be used, canned food and dried pasta; either drinking up their remaining alcohol or giving it away at last evening parties; and focusing on the next phase of their lives. 

That is not the only thing winding down, if news reports are to be believed.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/06/18/2273381/karzai-confirms-us-taliban-talks.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/world/asia/19afghanistan.html

The fight against the insurgencies shows no sign of drawing nearer to a close.  Certainly the insurgents show no sign of decreased capacity to cause damage; just yesterday they attacked a Kabul police station, with nine or so killed.  But of course, this is not the season of the year for the violence to wind down; that will come in late fall.  For now, the opium has been harvested and it's full-fledged fighting season, and that will continue at least through October.