HAAKE: The long haul in Afghanistan

Few Americans could locate Afghanistan on a map before Sept. 11, 2001, and even fewer have been there. But in the intervening 7 1/2 years, many have come to know at least that Afghanistan represents a historic crossroads. Alexander the Great's army called it Bactria; Genghis Khan's Mongol hordes passed through on their way to Europe; Marco Polo chronicled exotic tales of the Silk Road, visiting Samarkand, where some say chess originated, and Herat, home of Central Asia's oldest university.
HAAKE: The long haul in Afghanistan - Washington Times

Roger Cohen: The long haul in Afghanistan - The New York Times