Hey, the BBC's on our side. Truth may triumph, yet. (^:
"...A European official advising the interim administration on economic matters said that US policy-makers seem to fall into two categories--diplomats on the one hand, and military men and spooks on the other. Whereas the diplomats dutifully follow the loya jirga process, he said, the military and the spooks regard it as a charade; instead, they prefer simply to pay off warlords. The diplomats themselves, he said, have not been very effective. Unlike the British, who have played a "leadership" role, he explained, the Americans "have not been very involved. They're prepared to provide money but not to match it with political engagement."This dichotomy is mirrored in Afghan attitudes toward the United States. Most are tremendously grateful for America's role in ousting the Taliban. Indeed, Marla Ruzicka, who came to Afghanistan on behalf of Global Exchange, the activist group, to organize families victimized by the US bombing to demand compensation from Washington, told me that she was encountering a problem: People were so pleased with the results of the bombing that many were reluctant to protest it too vocally. (A report on her activities in the New York Times, headlined Shattered Afghan Families Demand U.S. Compensation, did not mention this.)
Seems Marla and Global Exchange trotted out there to confirm their own prejudices, and bloody the US reputation, but came across people who are grateful! Well, they'll work over these grateful people a bit...