If Afghans were grumbling about the lack of security in the wake of Monday’s insurgent attack on the heart of Kabul’s government ministries – and they were – a high-level commander with the International Security Assistance Force had a much different take.

The short of it: Afghanistan’s fledgling security forces did well.

“As you know, we had a busy Monday,” said the commander, who I met with the day before the Taliban struck within walking distance of the presidential palace in Kabul’s city center. “What you may not know is just how well the ANA and ANP responded to the incident – regardless of the fact that 10 to 20 insurgents infiltrated into a city of 4.5 to 5 million with AK-47s that were in really poor condition.”