The US does not expect the Taliban and al Qaeda to launch the long feared "Spring Offensive." The reason is simple, both organizations have been hammered over the Winter, and captured documents and interrogations of captives indicates that neither organization is in very good shape. Even with their camps in Pakistan providing a measure of sanctuary, the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters still do not feel ready to wage offensive operations against American troops. The US Special Forces and commandos are particularly scary for these Afghan warriors. The older ones remember that during the 1980s, the only Russian troops that were really feared and respected were the Spetznaz commandos. But all the Americans seem to have are commandos and very well trained and equipped infantry.
In Kandahar, police arrested twelve men and accused them of being Taliban terrorists, who were pretending to be a relief organization. The raid revealed many weapons and explosives. There are over a hundred aid organizations in Kandahar, and the Taliban group was able to get away with their deception for a while.