The United States Air Force unveiled their F117 Nighthawk over the skies of Iraq in 1991; it has since been joined by the B2 Spirit.  Both aircraft use stealth technology intended to aid its penetration role in order to survive extremely dense anti-aircraft defenses otherwise considered impenetrable by combat aircraft.  The Taliban unveiled their own “Stealth Bomber” yesterday in Jalalabad, Nangarhar as a 50 year old woman was apprehended at a security checkpoint wearing a suicide vest.  Evading radar isn’t an issue for the technology eschewing Taliban, Police and security checkpoints are.  Deborah D. Zedalis’ “Female Suicide Bombers” for the Strategic Studies Institute, quotes a commander in charge of training future suicide bombers,

Female suicide bombers are nothing new, the Syrian Socialist Nationalist Party loaded a truck with explosives and put a 16 year old girl behind the wheel in 1985, killing two Israeli Defense Force Soldiers.  Jane’s credits the Tamil Tigers with both extraordinary success-

-and the earliest embrasure of the female suicide bomber with an estimated 30-40% of their suicide attacks using women as bombers.  Chechen rebels, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad among others have made use of female suicide bombers.  Since 2003, Al Qaeda has made the suicide bomber a routine occurrence in Iraq.  Terrorist organizations use women as weapons because they provide certain advantages:

Even a fundamental religious leader can overcome the conflicts posed by using women as “guided weapons”…

The Taliban and their sometime allies, Al Qaeda prefer to target the Afghan National Army and Police with their attacks, thereby alleviating high numbers of casualties to their limited forces and attempts at reducing the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Government.  The Afghan National Security Forces (Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police, Afghan Border Patrol) have increased their capabilities significantly.  In the past month an element of the 201st Corps of the ANA conducted a night time helicopter insertion followed by the cordon search of an insurgent safe house in Ghazni, an ANA Soldier was the Tactical Air Controller who guided American warplanes while they bombed insurgent targets during an Afghan led operation in Konar, and of course, the Afghan National Army successfully re-took the city of Musa Qala in Helmand.  This increase in ANSF capabilities and professionalism means increased casualties to the Taliban/Al Qaeda fighters.  When coupled with the ongoing increase of infrastructure, roads, electricity, schools, Mosque improvements and the resultant defections from their ranks is something the Taliban/Al Qaeda alliance can ill afford.  When Al Qaeda in Iraq saw defeat looming on their horizon, they responded by targeting civilians, fomenting a spree of sectarian violence that was quelled by the growing capacity of the Iraq forces, its people and the influx of additional troops.

Once in the custody of the Jalalabad Police, the 50 year old woman claimed to be transporting the device to the intended bomber, a claim substantiated by the fact that the power source was not attached to the ignition system.  But even if she was only serving as the mule, the Taliban have taken a significant step.  All that is missing is the impetus to take the last step, as their situation continues to deteriorate, the perceived need to use women as suicide bombers will be provided. 

Jane’s sums it up by stating

The primary area a female suicide bomber retains her advantage as a “stealth weapon” is amongst a group of civilians.  Al Qaeda has done it once before and the Taliban, already willing to martyr Afghan citizens, will do whatever they feel it takes to see themselves once again holding the reigns of power in Afghanistan.  No matter how many Afghans they kill.