Abid Aslam

Not a shot has been fired–yet–at Afghanistan’s Taliban, but the country’s beleaguered population already is paying a heavy price for the ruling militia’s pariah status as host to alleged terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden.

The Bush administration looks to Central Asia for support in Afghanistan

It appears that foreign governments will be rewarded or punished by whether or not they become part of the U.S.-led war against terrorism.

Assuming the Cheney task force gets its wishes, it is anyone’s guess how much of the resulting energy will warm American homes or fuel SUV expeditions to the mall.