As we contemplate starting a whole new war in Iraq, it’s worthwhile to look back on last year’s war in Afghanistan. The United States (with NATO backing) appears to be trying to disengage, despite the fact that there’s already an immense power vacuum in Afghanistan and removing international peacekeepers would certainly lead to a complete collapse of the Karzai government. One UK paper is also reporting that Karzai’s US Special Forces security detail has been replaced with mercenaries hired by the US State Department. Before we went to war with Afghanistan, I didn’t believe we’d do much to help rebuild the country, and it looks like I was right. My fears for Iraq are the same.