WITH the fall of Kabul, as Christmas lights start twinkling around the two counties, the temptation is for us to retreat to the comforts of home and let minds drift from events of the past eight weeks. It would be easy to do.

Let's witness the scenes of jubilation, but take a moment to look beyond what's presented to the camera and listen to the voices of those whose message we may not care to hear.

We must not be in a hurry to cast our thoughts elsewhere just yet, or assume that what we thought might take years is over in weeks. It isn't.

There's much to be contemplated in the warning of Paul Marsden today.

We differ from the Shrewsbury MP in that, even now, we can't see what alternative there was to the coalition bombing campaign.

It was vital to put the Taliban and al Quaida on the back foot. Time lost doing so would have given the fundamentalists behind the September 11 atrocities time to strengthen.

A hearts and minds campaign to steer Afghanistan back into friendly hands would have taken too long as well.

But Mr Marsden's right to warn that we must learn lessons. He tells us remember the ways of the Northern Alliance and not see them as liberators.

With the Taliban now in the hills around Kabul, we think back to the long guerrilla war which the Soviet army fought and lost. Who's to say the same isn't about to start now?

The coming hours are going to be crucial. The coalition must fill the vacuum in Kabul, install the new administration and prevent the Northern Alliance becoming the new Taliban.

Then we must steel ourselves for the coming days, months and years. This looks like being a long, long haul.