Despite the Karzai government's failures, a majority of Afghans continue to support democracy and the current system over the insurgent groups. But these achievements are fragile and reversible. A premature withdrawal from Afghanistan is a recipe for failure with disastrous consequences for the United States and world security.

Afghanistan's election watchdog disqualified 19 winning candidates for alleged fraud, adding to a string of controversies that have undermined the legitimacy of the parliamentary elections and have delayed the vote results for two months.

Renewed fighting in Afghanistan could call for a new strategy.

Comparisons between our current efforts in Afghanistan and the Soviet intervention that led to the collapse of the USSR are natural and can be helpful, but only with great care.

The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to sponsor terrorism and just last week declared its intent to construct a nuclearreactor capable ofweapons-grade plutonium production.

In a blog interview, Radek Sikorski speaks about a variety of world issues.

Why does Iran consider Afghanistan so important? What are Iran's strategic aims in Afghanistan?