In the summer of 2001, while the American media kept the people distracted with “All Condit All The Time“, the US Government was informing other governments that we would be at war in Afghanistan no later than October.

How lucky for our government that just when they are planning to invade another country, for the express purpose of removing that government, a convenient “terrorist” attack occurs to anger Americans into support for an invasion.

The US has raised concerns with the Chinese government about the discovery of Chinese-made weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Richard Lawless, departing senior Pentagon official for Asia, on Friday said Washington had flagged the issue with Beijing. In recent months, the US has become increasingly alarmed that Chinese armour-piercing ammunition has been used by the Taliban in Afghanistan and insurgents in Iraq.

NATO and U.S. airstrikes have killed scores of Afghan civilians this week, residents and officials said on Saturday, deaths likely to deepen discontent with foreign forces and the Western-backed Afghan government.

The UK could have presence in Afghanistan for the next thirty years according to the new British ambassador.

Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, who will head the embassy in Kabul, said that the effort to stabilise and rebuild the war-torn country was a “marathon rather than a sprint”.