HAPPY ABOUT THE DEPARTURE FROM THE OBAMA DOCTRINE:

Last chance saloon in Helmand (Aziz Ahmad Shafe, Mohammad Ilyas Dayee and Aziz Ahmad Tassal, 7/24/09, Asia Times)

Operation Khanjar has met very little resistance since it got under way early in July; the overwhelming firepower of the US forces doubtless had the Taliban thinking better of a face-to-face fight. But even more surprising than the lack of a counter-punch has been the reception given the troops by the Helmandis, who have been battered and let down over the past eight years.

"These Americans are very good people," said Tak Mohammad from Nawa district. "They wave and speak to us in a very friendly way. And they have helped us finally to get rid of these cruel oppressors."