"Afghanistan's US-backed central government has the support of the international community, but international forces have been reluctant to commit troops to cities outside Kabul, leaving the rest of the country under the sway of warlords who built up private militias battling the Soviets and the Taliban."

The "government" of Afghanistan controls Kabul. Period. What Karzai has done is invite the warlords into the government, leaving them in control of the countryside.

Purely PR.

"Atta Mohammad has been involved in factional skirmishes with rival warlord General Abdul Rashid Dostam near the provincial capital Mazar-i-Sharif. He recently placed the city's government-appointed police chief under house arrest and directed his troops to take control of the city.

"General Khan Mohammad, army commander in the former Taliban stronghold of southern province Kandahar, and General Hazrat Ali, army commander of eastern Nangarhar province, were both made police chiefs of their respective provinces."

I think Bush promised the US would leave Afghanistan in the hands of warlords, would guarantee women's rights, etc., and so on.

Arf