A Taliban fighter reveals some of his weapons when reaching for a tin of chewing tobacco. Times staff writer Paul Watson rode with a group of fighters south of Kabul, the capital. (Paul Watson / Los Angeles Times)
Taliban fighters say they welcome the U.S. military’s proposal to send as many as 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan by summer because it will give the Islamic guerrillas more chances to kill “infidels.” (Paul Watson / Los Angeles Times)
With no shortage of food in their village base, the Taliban guerrillas ate a lunch of fresh flatbread soaked in chicken broth, along with yogurt and salt. (Paul Watson / Los Angeles Times)
The Ghazni-area Taliban fighters say they have ample weapons and ammunition to fight U.S.-led forces even if supplies from neighboring countries such as Pakistan are cut off. (Paul Watson / Los Angeles Times)
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Confident that they could relax by a warm wood stove on a cold winter day, the Taliban fighters stood their rocket-propelled grenade launcher and other weapons in a corner, next to a tin spitoon. (Paul Watson / Los Angeles Times)