The New Taliban Code of Conduct: A Kinder, Gentler Taliban?

On Monday Al Jazeera made public a new Taliban code of conduct, which includes much talk about winning over the "civilian Muslims" by limiting civilian bloodshed. "The utmost effort should be made to avoid civilian casualties," the book says. Is it likely to make a difference?

Past experience suggests not. While "new" to the mass public, the code was distributed to Taliban commanders in May. In the period since then, insurgent attacks have killed more civilians than in previous months.

So is the new handbook just propaganda, released to counter the new ISAF Commander's focus on protecting civilians?

Or is it that Mullah Omar lacks the clout to implement? In February Mullah Omar issued another edict, this one ordering Taliban commanders not to carry out any more beheadings. In the following months, the number of beheadings -- often between 10 and 15 each month -- were as high or higher than before the edict was issued. One Afghan aid worker told me, "People say 'When Mullah Omar tells them not to cut off people's heads, the Taliban then just start cutting at the waist.'"

We'll see...