Every Civilian's Death Diminishes Us,

Over The Last Few Years They Have Done A Superb Job In Their Fight Against Al-qaida. As You May Recall, Our Embassy In Jedda (in Saudi Arabia) Was Overrun Some Four Years Ago And A Number Of Foreign Workers Went Home Because Of Violence Against Them.

In Afghanistan You Are Not Rebuilding, You Are Building. There Is Very Limited Infrastructure And Extreme Terrain, With Deserts In The South And Mountains So High In Some Areas That Helicopters Don't Even Fly Well At A Certain Altitude Because The Air Becomes So Thin. The Country Has A Serious Problem Of Illiteracy, Especially After So Many Years Of War And Taliban Rule.

Reconciliation Is What Takes Place, Of Course, At Higher Levels. President Karzai Has Been Very Clear About The Red Lines For Reconciliation, Accept The Constitution, Lay Down Their Weapons, Cut Their Ties With Al Qaeda And Essentially Become Productive Or At Least Participating Members Of Society In That Regard.

The First Official Statements Of President Asif Ali Zardari's New Government Have Been Firm And Robust. Pakistan Is Obviously A Renewed Democracy.

I Think Putin Wants To Recreate As Much Of The Soviet Union As He Can Through A Variety Of Different Means. He's Invaded Parts Of Georgia, Took Crimea, Southeastern Ukraine, Bases In Other Countries.