The Taliban "offensive" is underway, with several hundred armed Taliban making attacks on foreign troops and government officials. There are also efforts to intimidate civilians, and close schools for girls and shops that sell music and videos. The attacks do not add up to a lot of activity, but there is enough of it for the general population to know the Taliban are still around. Taliban camps exist openly across the border in Pakistan, and Taliban recruit Pakistani Pushtuns for combat operations in Afghanistan. Pakistan has promised to crack down on the Taliban along the border, but this is difficult to do with so many hostile, and heavily armed, tribesmen protecting the Taliban operations.