Whatever happened to Afghanistan?

The United States is urging Afghan President Hamid Karzai to rein in provincial warlords who are hijacking hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue needed by his government, and has not ruled out U.S. military aid in the event of a showdown. The U.S. views Afghanistan's deepening financial hole with increasing alarm, a well-placed Western diplomat said Monday. High-level Afghan officials say the gathering financial crisis threatens both the legitimacy and the future of Karzai's administration.

Up to now, the American military has refrained from becoming involved in warlord disputes, either with the central government or among the tribal chiefs. It's a measure of the gravity of the regime's predicament that this hands-off policy now seems open to change.

Oh right. We forgot about them......