June 12, 2008
Afghanistan

Hello all and welcome to the website. I’m still travelling the Muslim world regularly, so what I hope to give you here is a continuing tour of the region. I won’t repeat what you hear on the evening news or read on news websites. Instead, I hope to give you a real on-the-ground sense of the latest news including what people are saying, thinking and doing about America.

I’ll begin with Afghanistan. I’ll be spending two weeks here this month, with the US military and with Afghans. More and more, Afghanistan is becoming the central test of American efforts to challenge its critics. What the US accomplishes – and fails to accomplish – here will have long-term implications for American interests and influence in the region and the world.

Homa, whom I profile in chapter seven, is passing all her tests with flying colors. Will the US do the same?

I hope this finds you well. And thank you for your interest.

Jim