couple of thoughts on afghanistan: when people talk, they immediately come up on the karzai government as exactly what makes all this impossible. ok at that point it's worse with him than without him: i'd suggest just straightforwardly replacing him, acknowledging that we occupy the country, appealing a little too late to the "flaws" in the election. i'd even be tempted not to appoint an afghan, though that might of course alienate afghans. but every afghan is going to have some tribal/crony-type issues. make a timetable for an election, with squirelly commitment. they must be talking about these possibilities, which karzai might just be picking up. if the petraeus coin thing is right, it's security and stability for the population that wins marts and hinds. corruption is the opposite. well just straightforwardly give that with a military governor. or pull out, you see? i go here like goldwater went on vietnam: double or nothing; win or go home. the worst situation is the chronic malaise.