Afghan Rebels take control of key city Mazar-e Sharif:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/627086.asp?0dm=-11PN

The World Trade Organization brings China into the fold tomorrow and seeks to create new export markets. Iran has no chance of being a member of the WTO and instead is creating diplomatic ties with China and strongly supports building a pipeline from Turkmenistan through northern Afghanistan to China, for that purpose:

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1005304575000&call_page=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News

Of course Dick Cheney has very substantial contacts in both the military and the oil industry. He is now in charge of homeland security, which seems to lack accountability and is implementing policies that bear a strong resemblance to McCarthyism (black lists, suspension of civil rights, etc.).

http://www.msnbc.com/news/655121.asp?0dm=-19PN