Ding, dong, Dadullah's dead

Booya.

Previous reports of his death or capture had proved untrue, but officials displayed the body to confirm the killing.

For many years Mullah Dadullah has been known to be one of the most brutal and extreme Taleban leaders.

In the last 12 months he has become perhaps the most significant military commander in Afghanistan, certainly in the south where the close quarters fighting has been most intense, our correspondent says.

But it is difficult to assess the impact of his death on the insurgency, our correspondent says, because the Taleban's command structures are loose and fighters often operate in small, self-contained units.

Can he be replaced? Sure. The better question is whether he can be replaced with another commander of equal craftiness, reputation, and experience. And that's a lot more doubtful.

Heck, look at the issues the Taliban has had with essential personnel like bomb-makers, and remember that leaders are even harder to produce - especially for loosely organized groups like theirs.

Of course, the question remains whether we can destroy their ability to fight more quickly than they can destroy our nation's will to fight.

Update: Graeme Smith, the Canadian reporter with the best connections in Kandahar outside the wire, reports on some of the difficulties and confusion already being seen within the Taliban. Sowing confusion within your enemy's command structure is always a Good Thing.