"...an apparent US victory
achieved before the end of the year may, in reality, be just a further stage in
a longer-term civil war in Afghanistan. This is supported by the likelihood
that many Taliban and al-Qaida units have already crossed the border into
north-west Pakistan, where there is substantial local support for their
position..."

That was Paul Rogers, in early December 2001. He's still writing a weekly column for openDemocracy, and hasn't missed a beat between then and now. His latest contribution analyses the perilous situation in Afghanistan.