Elsewhere…

…more ugly truth.

There have been almost 500 American wounded and 229 American dead, 29 of them since March, on the Afghani front of Bushco's War On (some) Terror, but despite the catchy nickname, the 'freedom' in Afghanistan doesn't seem to be particularly 'enduring'…

KABUL - Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network is regrouping and preparing to bring Iraq-style bloodshed to Afghanistan, the defense minister said Friday, warning his country may face intense violence ahead of key legislative elections this fall.

Recent intelligence indicates the terror organization slipped about half a dozen Arab agents into Afghanistan over the past three weeks, including two who detonated themselves in suicide bombings against a packed mosque and a convoy of U.S. troops, Defense Minister Rahim Wardak told The Associated Press.

"It looks like there has been a regrouping of al-Qaida and they may have changed their tactics not only to concentrate on Iraq but also on Afghanistan," Wardak said in an interview over tea at his wood-paneled office next to the heavily guarded presidential compound.

Of course, they didn't change their tactics to concentrate on Iraq until we invaded there, diverting troops and finances from the search for Osama Been Forgotten.

I was, in general, a supporter of action against the Taliban when they were harboring the al-Qaida leadership, although our commitment was inadequate to begin with and aborted prematurely in favor of the Iraq invasion. It's abundantly clear to our enemies that the Bush administration lacks the will to raise and sustain an army sufficient to wage a multi-front conventional war, turning to a variety of warlords, strongmen, scoundrels and thugs to hold the Islamic fundamentalists at bay in Kabul while the opium traders and their militias run the countryside. If we were to commit the resources we need to truly stabilize, let alone democratize, Afghanistan, our puppet regime in Iraq would quickly collapse. If we transfer our few remaining resources from Afghanistan to Iraq, Kabul would fall as quickly, either to the warlords or a resurgent Taliban.

Meanwhile the combined American death toll for Bush's military adventurism nears 3000 as the alternatives narrow to decades of occupation at an incalculable toll in blood and treasure or withdrawal with the hope that the international community will summon the will to come behind us and clean up the terrible mess we've made in both current arenas of combat.

Support the troops. Bring them home.