I am surpised at the absence of good analysis of Afghanistan in Russian media. After all, Russia'a CSTO allies are in real danger from the war spilling into Central Asia, and those countries --- along with Russia and China --- are the real victims of the exploding drug supply from Afghanistan. Russian policy makers, especially Foreign Ministry, must be doing a spectacularly good job at not letting their views and all the information available to them, out into the media. Their counterparts on the West have been less carefull, at the expense of the policy makers. Karzai government has transitioned from being an installed puppet, to being a government with the task to "afghanistanize the war", to being a government that has political support from key tribes and is therefore become politically independent from the occupiers. This was the main reason for raising "the corruption" issues. For those who are novices at watching foreign exploits, please remember that "corruption" is charged only when politically necessary. Otherwise, corruption is a way to do business in all US or NATO occupied territories. Afghanistan did not have anyone to challenge Karzai. Abdullah Abdullah has no big name tribal leaders on his side. Occupying forces were willing to bet on him, not because he could win, but because he could be the instrument of challenge to Karzai legitimacy. The objective was to insert Abdullah Abdullah into the government, and remove some Karazi ministers. But when Karazai agreed to runoff, the bluff was called. Abdullah could only withdraw. Now, the game is more subtle. Since he did not call for boycot, there is still room for Karzai to accept demands of Occupying forces, and reshuffle the government. From the looks of it, he will only strengthen his northern alliance supporters --- a big sigh of releif to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.