[Nono]

I fully agree with Gawd. That may actually have worked way back in 2002 when the Afghans -- exhausted after nearly a quarter century of non-stop war and with the Taliban recently kicked out of power, but not forgotten -- seemed a sight more receptive to an international community that, at the time, sounded like it actually wanted to do something for them for a change.

But no. Nobody was willing to spend actual money on it, preferring nice speeches and a military show.

Now it's too late. The Afghans (especially the Pashtuns, who are the Afghans who really count in this case) look increasingly fed up with having foreign devils around.

A good way to measure "progress", by the way, is to take a gander at the poppy crop. Once again sky-high.