Afghanistan elections and "objective" reporting

The New York Times, on February 28, 2014, reported on  leading Afghan candidates for president, citing two of them as "Warlords with Dark Pasts."

Here is one of them, Abdul Rashid Dostum, a leader of the Uzbeks in Afghanistan.

The dark General Dostum, in 2001, was celebrated as a hero for his valiant fight against the Taliban, or "Dark Taliban," as we might now describe them.  No point in accusing the Times of consistency.

Dr Abdullah Abdullah, as he shows himself now,

. . . ran with this campaign image during the last election:

Tell me you know enough about Central Asia to hold an informed opinion.  

We'll keep troops in Afghanistan; the 21st Century Great Game requires it

This lovely, provocative image accompanies today's New York Times story about President Obama's persistent efforts to keep troops in Afghanistan after 2014. 

A member of the Afghan National Security Forces kept watch as American soldiers met with Afghan officials near Kandahar. Credit Scott Olson/Getty Images

If this picture doesn't convince you that We and hey are different, you're hopeless.

Nevertheless, I'm convinced that the president want to keep troops in Afghanistan for more that just to train Afghan troops. 

To resist China's continuing efforts to expand its presence into Central Asia we need a continuing military presence in Afghanistan.  I'll bet he gets what he wants in the end.

The sanctions on Iran's oil needs to end quickly, and with a firm agreement that Iran not get an Atomic Bomb.  

Sanctions on Iran are hurting US relations with Pakistan and India because it is preventing those countries from getting needed natural gas from Iran through the IP Pipeline.  

China also wants Iran's natural gas through the pipeline. The diplomatic challenge should focus on how to keep the pipeline from going through India into China, and to keep a spur from going to China's deep water port in Gwadar in South Pakistan, now in effect Chinese territory, policed by Chinese army and cops . . .

. . . and not in keeping Iran from servicing friendly countries.

. . . And it is a pity 
that so many nations thrust for oil 
when burning fossil fuels is wrecking havoc 
on the only planet we have the use of, 
for now.  

We are too soon old 

and too late smart.