After reading this appalling article and the feigned ignorance of our elected public servant, Mr. Harper, I immediately sent off a rather lengthy email to my MP asking for an explanation as to the relationship between our minority government and the Karzai govt, specifically why this Sabet has a residence in Canada whereas he was refused residency in the US and with his nebulous background which reeks of corruption, just why exactly are we supporting this type of action by our inaction. I would hope that anyone reading this article will take a few moments to email their own MP and perhaps we can get a little action on this problem in the House of Commons. I don't like to think that our military men and women are over there risking their lives for reasons to which they are not privy.

Just an outstanding website, Mr. Kent - I have spent alot of today, sending this website address to many friends in both the US and Canada. You are a breath of fresh air in a stagnant world of pseudo-journalism.

Patrick - thanks very much, though I don't regard myself as exceptional in any sense. I've just been reporting missed opportunities in Afghanistan for far too long. When I see Western politicians repeating the same mistakes, era after era, it's simply too much to bear - without taking to the camera and keyboard to try to make sense of it all.

Your own decision to act is truly praise worthy. Presidents and Prime Ministers work for us, they don't reign over us. Rock their worlds, let them know the public's watching - and mad as hell.

sabet

sabit is one trorest.

Jabar Sabet is one of Gulbudin Hekmatyaar's henchmen. He is Hekmatyar's man in the government. He a lunatic, a maniac. Karzai says that he needs crazy men like Sabet to use against his political opponents. Thanks very much to Arthur Kent for the article and investigation and to the people of Canada.

Look, I've been away from the country for more than one decade. Heard alot about corruption even in the justice system of the country. More than one sources or I can say many people who have recently visited Afghanistan said the new attorney general have made significant impact on tackling the problem of corruption and bribery in the governmental institutions.

Again, I haven't witnessed myself, but several visitor of Afghanistan believe that the Tolo television is one of the most awful media outlet in the country showing immoral music shows (by Afghanistan's standards, religious and cultural sensitivity) etc. Even some believe that such programmes can only be seen in late nights even in some Western countries due to it's nature of having adult themes.

Now, in a country like Afghanistan, which is the newest entrant to "democracy", you simply can't bombard it with Western and Indian music show and movies to what the definite majority of the country is strange.

Lastly, we have seen several television programmes in the western countries, which have attracted public criticism now and then, because of its immoral and unethical genres, and the channels have been compelled, in some cases, to cancel the programmes. In Afghanistan, the champions and runners of media are cannot be journalists if they don't know their professional ethics and the sensitivity of the culture there. If they were, they would have known the sensitivity of the culture in the country and refrained from broadcasting material that could eventually provoke the government into action.

I believe in a country like Afghanistan with it's specific characteristics, the media should even use common sense in times of criticism of the politicians. The people on power in Kabul lack experience in governing and in some cases, we from the west instruct them what to do and what not, which is in itself another problem, given the fact that Afghanistan has a history of antagonism to foreigners in their country. As we have installed them there, so let them do their job as they are the people who know the psychology of the people there, and they inevitably are the only choice we have, don't we?

Arthur, all Canadians know that Mr. Harper hates the media and avoids it at all costs. All questions at press conferences must be cleared in advance. His ministers are not allowed to speak to the media and all communications must be cleared through the Prime Ministers Office. Even his shiny new election headquarters has a television studio built in the centre so he can do his own broadcasts without going to the media outlets that he rightly and truly fears and holds in the utmost contempt. Stephen Harper would be very happy if all journalists would just curl up and die and then we would believe whatever came out of his mouth. Many of his elected party members are right-wing fundamentalists with an agenda that, unfortunately under a minority government, cannot be brought to fruition. There is more sympathy for Hamid Karzai's style of governing in the Conservative Party of Canada than we have been allowed to realize, and for the most part, the Canadian mainstream media are reluctant to push let alone fight.

At my urging, my MP and his party leader have been asking questions in the house about Mr. Sabet and his legitimacy in Canada and also have received no response to date, and probably will not receive a response until this story breaks nationally in the major media.

Mr. Harper, your silence screams complicity and your supposedly professed Christian values are a sham for public consumption.

dear kent,
thanks for all that ur doing in feovr ofafghan people , if i say so that u r one of the real friend of afghanistan people it would be not enough. u know the setuation in afghanistan better than every one, but the problem which we fasing is the instructure of gove.Karzai is not the man who realy we deseire him this post ,he the man of sudden to this posation. we need a doctor to treat our pain and agany ,but he is the man that been described by westren as aDR but he is not.furthuremore , if he manages this way wehat would be the acceptation of people from SASBIT, mr SABET WAS THE MAN ,WHO DESTROYED HIS HOME FOR NATION , HIS HISTORY,HIS LEGGACY, HIS
OWEN PEOPLE LIFE.AND NOW HE BACK TO BREING HIS JUSTICE.
SABIT already trailed afghan people and 1993 t0 1998 , it was not enough ,what he wants more to send the reminder of nation to where?

Dear Mr. Kent,

As the mother of a wonderful young man who is risking his life to help the people of Afghanistan I am appalled by our government’s cowardly and apathetic ignorance of recent heinous events.

Thank you for this forum,
Grace (to protect the identity of my son, I am compelled to use a fictitious name)

Grace, your son's on a worthy and necessary mission, supported by a commanding majority of the Afghan people. But NATO and Afghan forces are fighting with two exposed flanks: Pakistan and Kabul. Choking down on the Taliban's safe havens and ridding the Kabul government of corruption are both political imperatives. These fronts can be secured without additional troops or loss of life. But it takes political courage, which currently is being stifled by a Prime Minister who seems more concerned with his image, and suppressing free reporting, than with ensuring the success of our goals in Afghanistan.

What to do? We should all be on the phone to the offices of our Prime Ministers and Presidents. Tell them that lip service and armament for our troops only goes half way to true support. The suits have to take to the diplomatic field, too - and right now, today.

After posting my first response to this disturbing article, I realized that I should have included the website where one can quickly find out one's MP and his or her email contact address just by entering one's postal code into the space provided. Let's get this sorry story out in the public eye.

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/...

Arthur,
If the US government could be proven to be aiding and abetting the shipment of heroin, would they not be wide open to a class action suit filed by US Army vets? It would seem the courts in the US are the best way to get anyone's attention there and vets are in the best position to apply the message.

Cheers ...

Patrick, thanks. Nothing like a little direct action! And Robin, you said it. Liability has to go where the buck stops: the highest offices in the land. US, British, Canadian - whatever their nationality, soldiers should have every right to insist that the people who put them on the battlefield have taken every possible political and diplomatic measure to maximize safety and effectiveness. That's not happening in Afghanistan.

One of your commentators, Maftoon, up there, describes a culture that exists with trammels that essentially resemble the Amish. He constantly decries the message of the media. He seems to be intensely disturbed, Peter, by the westernized, or Indianized images on Television. Maftoon, it's merely a light gun that induces a trance. It's almost entirely garbage in garbage out, and nobody will get more than 15 minutes of fame. (Afghanis need primary education that permits thinking beyond the 12th or 13th century.) I saw I guy riding a donkey past a Humvee on TV. The donkey was moving faster than the Humvee. I wondered were you get a high speed donkey like that. My brother was in Australia one year in the late 70s drilling for oil and said the kangaroos were something to see, actually ourrunning the trucks on the Outback. It's a funny world, huh. Ask for my website. I never stop.

BY the way, great appearance on The Hour with George S. (I never spell it out. I don't have that much time.)

thank you for doing what you do,you appearence on the G S show was so imformative,and we have put your site on our favorites,you have always been a outstanding journalist,i think our Mr Harper has a lot to answer for,and has lost so much respect as our MP'S ,what a very sad world we live in.Thanks

I just saw you on "that show" on CBC-TV

I rarely watch that channel but I was compelled to leave the remote on the coffee table while i listened to the intriguing conversation.

As a previous person commented, your appearance was a breath of fresh air and extremely informative.

Point of Clarification: regarding the article you wrote above: Is it up to us to conclude Karzai is an opium addict ("...light up his pipe...")? I realize the main argument is Karzai kow-tows to opium warlords. You allude to serious heroin issues. One way to tell if Karzai is a junky: how long does he stay away from his stash? Another way, does he ever mention William S. Burroughs. [I always suspected George H.W. Bush was a junky, I mean, puking on the Japanese prime minister, tell me that wasn't a 'junky' snafu.

Dear Peter –

You may or may not know this, but the real reason why the Heroin is exploding and being shipped out of Afghanistan from underneath our noses is because the CIA is behind it.

They have been for decades.

Iran Contra – money and guns, right? Wrong – incomplete sentence. It was money, guns and drugs (yes, they also deal in coke and yes, they did introduce crack into black ghettos, starting in LA, in the early 80’s).

If you Google (video) or YouTube anything on the CIA, or CIA + drugs, you’ll find x-CIA guys talking about it.

Watch the two following films online at GV or YT:

Obstruction of Justice
The Truth and Lies of 911

Or dig into a guy named Michael Ruppert (x-LA narcotics detective).

If you want to know about Heroin, you have to understand the American government’s involvement in it.

The drug war, like the war on terror is a fraud – a hoax.

And yes Peter, 911 was an inside job – they did it; the Americans attacked themselves. And more and more people are waking up to it everyday – The official bedtime “story” is a joke amongst anyone who’s seriously looked at it, and those numbers grow by the day. If you’ve never seen them or heard of them watch Loose Change and 911 Mysteries (online), if you doubt the veracity of my words.

No Peter, when I see a drug bust on TV I know where to look or some strung out kind on the street, I know where to look and who to truly blame; the same way I will on the next (nuclear) 911 – 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!

Now that you’ve once again found journalistic freedom on the internet, why don’t you exercise it – While you can?

Or does your style of journalism only hint at things which the authorities would otherwise rather go, unmentioned?

911 Was An Inside Job! – Report that.

Proverbs 18:13

He who judges a matter before he hears it, it is shame and folly unto him.

Arthur,

Next time you're on The Hour, you might ask
Georgie boy why the National is doing subliminal
advertising for the hour.

thankyou for reporting truth. I hope one day to do the same.

Abdul Jabar Sabet is a crazy man like some others in President Karzia government. He was a close associate of Hekmatyar, who bombed Kabul and killed more then 70000. Ezatullah Wasifi was arrested in USA, due to trafficking drugs and now he is the director of ani corruption department. Why the west is sending troops to fight the Taliban and not removing Taliban men and extrimists from Karzia government.....Karzia team is corrupt and doing nothing for Afghanistan. I ask the Western Government, if they want to bring peace to Afghanistan, they must bring some reforms and positive chnages to the government. Remove some people, who are not qualified to work in the government.Why the Western government is supporting this government, that Afghan does not like.....I will advise if you do not care and bring some chnages, your moor troops, would be killed and Afghan poor nation will pay the price of your nigligence. Karzia team is not a good team and all deserve to go. We need good and honest people to work for us bring peace and freedom. We do not want have some one to stop our freedom process. We need to live in dignity like others.....why the West provide sancuatries for such terrorists like Sabit and some others, who are behind the killings and destruction....no difference between them and Usama, aimanual Zawaher and Mullah Omer.

Thanks for writing such good repors

Arthur ,
Thank you , please keep reporting , i'll try to help spread the word , our troops deserve better , why don't people see this , it is disgusting that young men and women , brothers, sisters , moms and dads , of my country Canada , are dead , for this ? thought we were peacekeepers , . i for one have seen enough coffins go down the road here in Nova Scotia . for this ?
again ty ,

Dave, there's so much more that Canada's politicians - our elected public servants - can do. Our troops are on the battlefield, doing their best. So why do our MPs waste time by arguing about an exit date? Surely the investment in lives and money Canada's made so far means we should strive for success, especially since we and the Afghan people have so much going for us. All it takes is enlightened, tough political intervention. Not posturing and clowning around for the cameras in parliament.

Of course all this goes double for US and UK leaders - but perhaps it's too much to expect an intelligent reassessment and change of direction from Washington or London. The Bush and Blair legacies are still in gear - reverse gear, that is.

i now believe if the leaders of all the countrys went themselves to war instead of sending troops,we would has less turmoil,as i cant see the leaders wanting to lose their lives,what ever happened to the expression never again,what has been learned from previous wars,nothing

This confirms that Harper is just like Bush in one important respect: he does not give a damn about the society of Afghanistan, their press freedom, the right of journalists not to be beaten (by a Canadian resident nonetheless!)

It's absolutely shocking that he feigns ignorance, though predictable. These politicians think they can hide behind a veil of ignorance, even when they receive plenty of information regarding crimes that they are indirectly connected to, and just go on their jolly way.

What it boils down to is Mr. Harper being a self-serving politician without the least ethical flame in him, without the least respect for the basic humanity of these journalists and of the people who he claims to be fighting for.

Mike, what disappoints me so much about Mr. Harper is the way he has enveloped in secrecy every key ministry of the Canadian government - departments that are created to serve the public, not politicians. Many, many journalists and civil servants will tell you the same story. Whether they're trying to obtain information from this government or release it in a responsible way to the people of Canada, they run up against Mr. Harper's media handlers. All of whom are sworn to impede free discourse, unless it serves Mr. Harper's narrow political agenda. In this way, they are eroding Canada's political culture, not to mention that of countries relying upon us, such as Afghanistan.

Arthur, the story of Mr. Harper is the same as the stories of Mr. Blair in Britain and Bush in the U.S. They all thought they found a new way of governing, which is premised on the essential irrationality and unreliability of the average citizen to make his or her own choices. Instead, they think (appropriating the ideas of a philosopher called Leo Strauss), these decisions are best by those at the top. Thus information is controlled, democratic governance is controlled, acceptable emotions are controlled, etc., all by the people at the top who decide best.

I know this isn't exactly your field, but if you're interested (and I think we all should be), I recommend a BBC4 documentary by Adam Curtis called "The Trap of Freedom" as well as "The Power of Nightmares".

(Sorry, quick comment.) I don't claim to have accurately represented the ideas of Leo Strauss or Adam Curtis because much of this is still new to me. But these 2 videos do show very well how many of the problems in Britain and the U.S. (also Canada's Harper) are linked by a rather dark theory of human nature that is fundamentally anti-democratic.

I think Mr Sabet is the man behind the mention to finish the attorney general office and merge it with the Justic department, he has no knowledge of low and no experience in this office he is heading, he has replaced all his deputies and brought his freinds, which some of them are already currepted.

Arthur,
Your postings leave me in one big dilemma. On the one hand, you appear to support an open-ended military commitment by Canada in Afghanistan. On the other, you paint a picture of a Canadian Government which purposely ignores realities on the ground and seems determined to do little more than seek the utmost political benefit out of the exercise. In fact, your comments leave me with the impression that the cause, with Harper calling the shots, is virtually hopeless.
If that is the case, then what is the point in staying the course?
Can the military achieve something in spite of Harper?

Suspicious Patriot up there had a number of conspiracy theories that are more or less incredible, although I saw Loose Change and I have indeed a few questions i would like answered (2 B757 entirely vaporized, victims, engines and all? And the crumble of WTC tower 7? Fuel tanks -- in a building? -- that exploded and caused the building to fall... really?); yet he's got a point: I read in La Presse (Qc) that under taleban rule, the cultivation of poppies and production of opium was outlawed, bringing the afghan heroin production nearly to a halt. Yes, religious zealots have been known to deal with the devil especially when the said deal helps them in their very earthly struggle, but it seems a little contradictory that the taleban would be funded by heroin traffic...

I shame to write my commnets here from Afghanistan re our corrupt leaders and extrimists, who were still in the government. Abdul Jabar is a close associate of Hekmatyar the fundemental leader of Hiz-be-Islam, who is launcing attacks on coalition from his stronghold Eastern region of Afghanistan. Candaa and all international communities should work togather to reform the current government as soon as possible, otherwise no need sending more troops for supporting this corrupt government. There should be some polotical solution to the current instabilities in Afghanistan. The people of Afghanistan does not support and like any more this corrupt government and president Karzia team. They are doing nothing. Why you are sending your people to be killed for this corrupt government, which does not respect the freedom, human rights and pricipals of the democracy. Please assist us for good governance. All the governors are appointed by Karzia are corrupt and drug tarrfickers. Kandahar governor Assadullah is a corrupt person and involved in the drugs. He is a close friend of Karzia's brother.

I ask you people please assist us, before the time runs off. We don't need more troops. We need you to stop and remove all the corrpts authoroties from the government and reform the system.

Cheers!

I seen you on TV tonight and then went to your web site. What I read simply blew may mind, as to what could be going on in Afghganastan and our Canadian Govts involment in it and Mr. Harpers denial of it. ie co-operation with Corrupt Govt Officials In Afhganistan. I have always thought Canada should not have gone into Afghanastan and Did so only due to pressure put onto Mr. Harper by the Bush Administration. What influenced him we will never know but I believe it certainly was not of his own initiative. Canada used to be a well liked and Respected Country in the World, and now we have many enemies from many parts of the World due to Canadas involvment and at WAR in Afghanastan. This is a NO WIN situation, as is the case in Iraq. the US knows this, but dont know how to get out of it without admitting Defeat and Saving Face. I wonder if US gets out of iraq before Canadas 2009 date set for Afghanastan will Canada pull out sooner?,or will we be persuaded by the US to stay and fight a losing Battle and Cause. And lose more Canadian Soldiers. I Believe the Cause is Good, but these two countrys will have to be left to their own dimise however it may be probably As it has been for HUNDREDS OF YEARS. I also wonder what the Real Purpose of being in these counties is. I dont believe its for their Benifit only. Guess Who.

Watch your back, the world needs people like you.

Arthur,
thank you for your work.

What a pity, we live in "democratic" countries, where Democracy is in house arrest...
Where are the quardians???

@ Pete -

I have some "incredible" conspiracy theories?

Guy, the former head of the Air Force Accident Investigation Division doesn't believe the official bedtime "story", nor does Regean's former deputy of defense.

Kennedy was murdered by Oswald? Please.

You watched Loose Change? Have you watched all the othe films, read the documents - have you actually read the 911 report - probably not, yet you pontificate.

Drugs? Go watch The Truth and Lies of 911 and Obstruction of Justice and then refute the evidence.

I'll throw this in as well - the US government is run by a bunch of pedophiles.

Don't believe that - The Franklin Cover-up, John DeCamp, and the film Conspiracy of Silence.

Our governments, are corrupt and evil - pull your head out of your ass and look at the fact, not the crap they fead you in the MSM.

I could prove my contentions in a court of law; unfortunately the nay sayers cannot.

It is too bad that you are not translated in french or have a bilingual Web site.
Your team should have a french reporter reporting these news in french as you know that Harper is counting on the province of Quebec votes to get reelected next time. It is the province he is relying on. He wants to play on Dion impopularity to get the majority vote of this province and a majority governement as a whole.
The Province of Quebec is the most anti-war in this whole country.
But people here are not getting this kind of information in french. The french reporter are not part of the critics to this war.
If this information would get down to people Harper would loose feathers here.
The NPD Liberals and the Bloc is gaz sleeping on this matter or they feel it is not a worth talking subject. I am saying it is very relevant.

Finally a news story, about Afghanistan, that doesn’t have a giant pink elephant standing in the middle of it that no one seems to notice. Media reports of that forsaken country, even by the CBC, always seem so sanitized, two dimensional and censored. Your article, Mr. Kent, connects many pieces of the puzzle. It is a breath of fresh air in the midst of the usual Eau de dung. In my opinion, Mr. Harper and his government, among many others, have only contempt for free speech and democracy.

Without truth, there is no democracy, no freedom, no justice and no peace.
Thank you.

Arthur,
I would like to get your personal email or telephone number if possible. I talked to Hamed Haydari, who had the interview with Sabat and he is intrested to get more documents in hand for future happenings regarding Sabat.
My email is: k_ahmadzai@hotmail.com

Bill, you're right - Canada overall is off balance in Afghanistan. Not because removing the Taliban from peoples' lives isn't just - even by critical pollsters, some 80% of Afghans want the Taliban and al Qaeda defeated. Or because our military can't cut it: spend time with Canadian Forces members in the southwest, and you'll come away deeply impressed. But they and NATO and the Afghan National Army can suppress Taliban fighters day in and day out and it'll come to nothing - unless and until an end is secured to Pakistan's interference, and, most of all, a responsible and effective government is nurtured in Kabul. We're going backward on both these last fronts. Inconsistent? Yes, in a word, Canada's war effort in Afghanistan is flawed by deep and dysfunctional inconsistency. And Harper is where that buck stops.

Ahmad in Kandahar, salaams and don't feel ashamed. We in the West take responsibility for our governments' actions and policies. In 28 years reporting in your country, one thing becomes clear. Corrupt and murderous individuals only rise to prominence on the backs of our aid packages, our money and guns and proclamations of best intentions towards the Afghan people. Please keep sending your ideas to us. We'll shower our politicians' offices with demands for real justice. Ahmad, our big men are just like yours. They need a stick across the backside, every now and then, just to remind them that the real world is watching. Closely.

Hi Arthur,

I really enjoyed your interview and writing on this site. I'm curious how you finance this site since there is no advertising? Is this a personal project that you have?

Ciao,
Ferris

Hi Ferris, skyreporter.com is entirely financed and managed by this reporter - the legacy, I suppose, of 34 years working with some really fine newspapers, magazines and broadcasters. All I'm doing here is trying to work in the traditions established by those organizations years before I ever approached a typewriter.

We're all looking ahead with this new medium, trying to find the best ways to serve the public and our craft. Skyreporter's had important support from segments of the mainstream media, for which I'm really grateful. Soon, you'll see the site begin to support itself through appropriate, reader-based sponsorship and restrained advertising - strictly separated at all times from the content (story and film selection and production).

First of all I would like to thanks mr kent. You have been doing a great job for Afghanistan since 1978 until now. We have seen so many reality clips from Afghanistan in this site.
We are very disappoint to see the situation right now in Afghanistan. All afghanian were exitting to see the new variation!but still we are hopeless. We need new attribute with fresh mind, we don't need those person like Abdul Jabar Sabet-member of the Hekmatyar groups, those who kiled thousand,of our brothers in Afghanistan.Shame for president Hamid "kharzi"

Arthur
Thank you for the great site and the indepth information that we all may never have known on the Kharzi govt. Great interview with George on the Hour. Hope George has you again. I go on this site each day for the latest reports. Hope everyone emails their MP's to put pressure on Harper. Take care and keep up the good work. Diane

Arthur,
It would be useful if at some point you could elaborate on what precisely, in practical terms, you think might be done to effect significant change in Pakistan's role in the conflict. If I understand correctly, Musharraf already is on a knife edge, in addition to which strong forces within the military and intelligence services, as well as at the grass roots in the tribal territories, are said to favour continued support for the Afghan insurgency.
Would you advocate military action if political approaches are non-productive? And if so, what might the consequences be in Pakistan itself of such action?
Thanks. Your wisdom on these issues is invaluable.

As soon as we were watching the life broadcast of illegal and unacceptable police behavior, we decided to stop our radio program right there as an immidiate reaction to this violance.

For almost 3 hours, only this massage was on air:
"as an independent radio broadcaster we have seazed our programs and want to express our deep concerns to what is going to TOLO TV head office,,,"

As an chief editor of this public radio stations, I feel quite un-protected and highly concerned about who is going to be next and what more can happen than entering a TV channel office without having any legal explinations.

This is the hight possible intence reaction that can be done, ATTACK and ILLEGAL ARREST and BEATINGS. If the attorney general is an obviose enemy of media , the only sources that we were expecting were the foriegn democratic governments to at least issue thier concerns about it.

Unfortunately legall processes here, were waiting to see the international reactions, but following this scielence you will soon hear tommorrow from the independedtn commission after a few days waitings, asking TOLO TV to appologize from Jabar Sabit.

Watandar FM is a purely self-sustained, very popular succesfull station strugling to expand itself to other cities of Afghanistan. We were about to start our Herat city broadcasting this week. We had lots of concerns about local WARLORDS in Herat city, that now we have delayed launching Herat station. If a TV channel in capital Kabul can be attack as simple as this, how can I encourage myself to extend our little democracy practice to Herat?

Watandar FM is special Public Voice plus Music channle, which airs only public voices. We are known as a radio station which airs all kinds of critisism without sencosrship, I am affriad they will soon realize that they are loosing this freedom.
The problem is that WHEN THE RULE OF LAW IS NOT ACTIVE anything we air can be taken as a pretext against us.
I am calculating that, either way my channel will lose, if we start to sensor we will lose listership and hence commercials as our ONLY source of income, and we dont we will 1 day be shut down.
Mirwais Social, managing editor Watandar FM Kabul
mirvaiss@yahoo.com
0093(0)700-281-577

Mr. Watandar, I am inclined at first to recommend to you to freely air all public voices and popular commentary, but that may be risky. I would not suggest self-censorship, but you could be subtle in your coverage, for instance making it clear that your voice is the voice of Gandhi, Mandela- though I don't know if you accept nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience or not, but it seems that you do. By aligning your voice with these noble men, many people in the West will care more about the freedom of your station to air public voices free from coercion or external influence. This is a good way of bringing in democratic self-rule to most places in the world.

Bill, thanks, but I'm just a reporter with a past! Seriously, though, the answer to the safe-havens issue in Pakistan's tribal lands lies with the traditional tribal leadership and population at large. It's clear that most people are fed up with Taliban and al Qaeda overlords, crowding out local leaders and encroaching on the Pukhtun peoples' legendary freedoms.

Western powers, hamstrung by the Bush administration's incompetence, have done nothing creative or different to promote political change in the NWFP. Musharraf is the wrong interlocator. He's just another warlord in that hood. We've got to try, diplomatically, politically and in clandestine ways, to accelerate the process that's already underway - a major housecleaning of jehadis and Taliban militia leaders. Hey, it's not going to be easy, but any reduction of sanctuary and support would further weaken the Taliban/al Qaeda war effort.

Mirwais, you're one of the professionals, one of the people, who has made Afghanistan's free media the most vibrant new institution in the country. What you and your colleagues have achieved in only a few short years is nothing short of spectacular. You're challenged now, but it will make you stronger.

Arbitrary power always implodes - eventually. Please know that in the West, those of us who pursue our craft and trade, for the most part free of the dangers you face, accept that we have a special obligation to bring your predicament to light. Be safe, be careful but keep going. And please keep us informed. It's an honour to have you contribute to skyreporter. Thank you.

And Mike makes a key point - for us all.

Watandar FM,

you have expressed some valid concerns here. The unlawful and Taliban like invasion of the Tulo TV station only reminds one of the Taliban's invasion of the northern cities and/or Gulbudden Hekmatyaar's rocket invasion of the Kabul city (Jabar Sabat is his underdog)

I agree with you there. But the insertion of the 'politically smart word: warlord' makes you doubly smart. Though you know and admit it so well that it was just a Karzai man, Jabar Sabat, who committed that attrocity, you still manage to unhesitatenly, if not shamelessly, insert the irrelevant word 'warlord' even in this little thread to indirectly support your cause, which is the lambasting of innocent non-pashton political leaders.

But you are caught there and please stop it right there. You dont need to involve innocent non-pashton political leaders like the moderate great leader of HERAT, Amir Ismail Khan.

Please refrain from indulging in ethnic politics. It is not that difficult. You can make ARTHUR your role model. And please shy away from diverting attention from what is ripping Afghanistan apart by childishly talking about a non-existent phenomenon that is the Pashton coined 'warlord'. It has lost its vitality and validity for now. Lets focus on the EXISTENT threats.