Tim Blair

--In the weeks after the attacks on America, few challenged the retaliatory US-led invasion of this country.--

More rewriting of history.

But the comment that the Aghans think the international community is acting against them, wants them to fail, perhaps, is very perceptive.

Otherwise, sounds like their back to a somewhat normal Afghanistan. What was the country like before we went in? Even under the king? I could question whether or not he's projecting his western lifestyle on the Afghans. If it is, it'll be superficially.

I'm looking for any silver thread I can and I think the Afghans get it to a certain degree.

The largest employer outside the Afghan government is a woman-owned business and you can find their goods on overstock.com

Posted by: Sandy P. at October 9, 2004 at 03:54 AM

When he was a child, McGeough wanted to be a journalist. He still hasn't reached that noble goal.

Posted by: The Real JeffS at October 9, 2004 at 04:01 AM

Memorandum for : "misery correspondent Paul McGeough"

Mr. McGeough,

Wrong.

Sincerely,
Major John Tammes
Bagram, AF

Posted by: Major John at October 9, 2004 at 04:09 AM

Despite all that, a remarkable 10.5 million Afghans have registered to vote today. And that's what angers many observers here.

Of course they're angry. The Afghans might actually turn their country into a working democracy.

And kick the NGO/UN/Western observer wankers out.

McGeough and his ilk need to keep the brown people oppressed so they can have someone to feel superior to.

What a pathetic oxygen thief.

Posted by: Barbara Skolaut at October 9, 2004 at 04:35 AM

Let this be a lesson to all third world nations that may wish for U.S. help:

Be careful for what you wish for - if the U.S. does decide to do something that could benefit you, the entire "international community" will unite against you.

Hell, in that case, maybe we Yanks should start providing more assistance to the U.N. - it may be the only way to get the world to turn against that vile kleptocracy.

Posted by: Percy Dovetonsils at October 9, 2004 at 04:39 AM

Yeah! How dare those Afgahns want to decide their future without input from the annointed! Such as Paul McGeough!

Posted by: Mikey at October 9, 2004 at 07:13 AM

Hey, where's Karl to tell us how we read it all wrong?

Posted by: Sortelli at October 9, 2004 at 08:55 AM

weird the way the armchair orcs can only get their rocks off by lashing someone like McGeough. He's at least been there.

Posted by: tug at October 9, 2004 at 09:06 AM

Have you been there tug?

And don't be so sure of yourself. We orcs get around, mostly on missions for the Dark Lord Sauron.

Posted by: Quentin George at October 9, 2004 at 09:20 AM

The more I read of tug, the more I'm convinced we just might have the most entertaining running joke of a troll since Big Hawk on our hands here.

Posted by: PW at October 9, 2004 at 09:56 AM

Hey, tug! "Major John" is deployed to Afghanistan right now.

At least us armchair orcs can read. What's your excuse?

Posted by: The Real JeffS at October 9, 2004 at 10:08 AM

even a beer-swilling Afghan geek

Paul, Paul, Paul, for the love of Allah, warn him about the dangers of swilling beer before he gets killed by militants!

Posted by: Andjam at October 9, 2004 at 11:22 AM

Paul McG is a seasoned observer on the ground, unlike many who observe from their living rooms. Afghanistan is beholden to war lords and, in parts, a resurgent Taliban. The President barely controls Kabul. The opium trade accounts for around 50% of economic activity, guaranteeing in itself a costly hit on the US health system.
Iraq is stuffed. Even conservative commentators in the US of A are starting to talk exit.
Osama bin Laden must be well down his wish list. He has been the big winner in all this mess.
When the nuclear suitcase 'hits' the US, it will have been manufactured by know-how supplied by Pakistan and likely smuggled into the US from El Salvador, financed by al-Qaeda.
GWB has been described by the British ambassador to Italy as 'the best recruiting sergeant for al-Qaeda'. Sadly, ironically, Bush has made things easier for terrorists. Every hit on Samarra or Fallujah encourages recruitment.
Al-Qaeda might already have nuclear wherewithal, supplied by the infamous Dr AQ Khan who is known for sympathising with its cause. The US of A should insist on putting Khan on the rack to find out the extent of his nuclear sales activities. Musharraf won't cooperate, of course, because too many people in high places (including himself) knew all about Khan's activities.
If Dick Clarke is right and Pakistan becomes a state of militant Islam, armed with nuclear weapons, with the failed state of Afghanistan next door, then the times will become really interesting.
jb

Posted by: john b at October 9, 2004 at 01:10 PM

Then I suppose that we just cannot let Afghanistan become a failed state (again). When the going gets tough the weak abandon ship.

Posted by: JBB at October 9, 2004 at 02:26 PM

john b must have been one of the armchair orcs we were warned about.

Thanks mate!

Posted by: Quentin George at October 9, 2004 at 02:33 PM

--GWB has been described by the British ambassador to Italy as 'the best recruiting sergeant for al-Qaeda'. Sadly, ironically, Bush has made things easier for terrorists. Every hit on Samarra or Fallujah encourages recruitment.--

And if we just sat there and took it, their recruitment wouldn't be up??

Right.

Posted by: Sandy P at October 9, 2004 at 03:52 PM

You know, dimwits like john b. seem to think Al Qaeda recruitment was moribund before GW Bush rode into town.

Wake up, john-john. Twenty thousand Al Qaeda recruits passed through OBL's training camps in Afghanistan in the 1990's, with a flood of new volunteers arriving every day. Bush didn't start the fire.

The only way to weaken that dynamic is to go after the terrorists until the conditions that bred them are no more. Fighting terror does not breed more terror. Whimpering in a dark room pleading for them to leave you alone does. Grow a spine.

Posted by: Reid at October 9, 2004 at 04:44 PM

You tell em Major John!

Tink
Wife of a Grunt currently in Paktika Province, Afghanistan

Posted by: Tink at October 9, 2004 at 06:02 PM

RE: "If Dick Clarke is right and Pakistan becomes a state of militant Islam, armed with nuclear weapons, with the failed state of Afghanistan next door, then the times will become really interesting."

No worries. Dick Clarke is always wrong. Dick is the "terrorism" czar who thought the y2k bug would be the end of days. The guy who never was able to give Tommy Franks any actionable intelligence. Dick Clarke who said Clinton would have stopped 9/11?

Clarke was/is a slacker. Where the hell was he during the 1990s???

Posted by: RMcLeod at October 9, 2004 at 06:06 PM

"Paul McG is a seasoned observer on the ground"

I wonder what he's seasoned with:

Paprika?

Minced Basil Leaves?

Enriched Uranium?

Ah, the mysteries of life...

Posted by: Mr Vee at October 10, 2004 at 08:33 AM