Afghanistan:
Is not being “punished”, it is being cleaned. It’s a war-zone.

Oil Pipeline:
If it happened in timber country, you would go on about the log-slew Bush was pushing for. Why is opening Afghanistan to trade in oil, rather than drugs, a bad idea?

Opium & Heroin Sales:
I suppose we could reinstate the Taliban, return the yoke of oppression, and give al-Quai’da a refurbished home. That would probably solve everything, wouldn’t it? Then we could just sit complacently back and mind our own business. The world can take care of itself -- right?

Iraq:
Instability already exists.

Russia & China:
Russia and China cannot afford to step in, other than as complainers, or supporters.

Time to stop shaking in the corner and face the bad guys -- toe-to-toe,
Dan