*** Afghanistan

Guess what, we're not just losing in Iraq, but we basically lost the war in Afghanistan too. This must-read Seymour Hersh article in the New Yorker shows how the US's plan to do Afghanistan on the cheap was a bad idea; bottom line, about all we did was to knock the Taliban out of Kabul. Then Iraq completely distracted the US from ongoing efforts to stabilize the country. Heroin accounts for 1/3 of Afghanistan's GDP. The US is essentially of the view that having warlords/druglords run the show will prevent a resurgence of Al Queda. But the good news, I guess, is that the Bush Administration is starting to pay attention to Afghanistan again.

Afghanistan is regaining the Bush Administration’s attention, in part because the worsening situation in Iraq has increased the need for a foreign-policy success.

The bad news is that the people of Afghanistan are starting to remember the Taliban with fondness -- and remember, the ability to provide security was what got them into power in the 90s. So Afghantistan is once again in danger of becomming a terrorist breeding ground.
- posted by David @ 10:55 AM