Afghanistan in Flames of Popular Revolution

President Hamid Karzai is attempting to soothe widespread public anger with American military terror tactics, illegal detentions, insensitive searches and uneasiness over how long bases will remain on Afghan soil. Rioting has left Afghan cities and towns in flames and hospitals overflowing with casualties.

The Afghan leader, installed with Washington's support in 2001 and often derided as an American puppet, promised to correct "mistakes" made by US forces and he called for the return of hundreds of Afghan prisoners held at Guantanamo, another major friction point.

The Afghan people have clearly had enough of being kicked around by repressive U.S. imperial tactics. The uprising has considerable implications for the situation in iraq, and could prompt mass demonstrations there -driven by Sunni and Shia anti-occupation sentiment.