Meanwhile, Back In Afghanistan...

Unocal emplyee-cum-President Hamid Karzai, top dog of the Semi-Divine Generallissimo El Busho, sacked the country's Number One Warlord, prompting riots in which seven people were killed and 50 injured.

As U.N. buildings were being consumed by flames and dozens of aid workers huddled for safety in an American base, henchman-cum-U.S. ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad assured terrified reporters: "We just have to ride out the initial bumps."

Such "bumps" were enough to prompt the wicked leftist scum at Reuters to express totally unwarranted scepticism:

Critics accuse Bush, desperate for a foreign policy success to balance the problems he faces in Iraq, of trying to fast-track polls in Afghanistan, whether or not the conditions to ensure they are free and fair have been put in place.

While evil relief workers warn that the premature October 9th elections will be held in a highly militarised society in which power is under factional control, back at the White House it's all Go! Go! Go! for Afghan Democracy!