Afstan: Battle of the bucks/Update: Battle

Nice juxtaposin' again from Norman Spector:

...

--A great Afstan moment

In Afghan region, U.S. spreads the cash to fight the Taliban (W Post)

Terror link alleged as Saudi millions flow into Afghanistan war zone | Times

...

Meanwhile the CF are asking Afghans how to help:

Canada gives Afghans say in Panjwaii projects

BAZZAR-E-PANJWAII, Afghanistan - Canada is changing the way it's rolling out projects in Afghanistan's Panjwaii district, allowing for more local input so that infrastructure development takes into greater account the desires of Afghans over those of the coalition.

Under the shift, local elders are being encouraged to propose projects at district shuras _ community meetings _ or straight to their district governor. In the past, the Canadian Forces and NATO's International Security Assistance Force delivered projects for the region without that level of Afghan consultation...

Update: What the US Army is up against at Kandahar:

Battalion among hardest hit in Afghan war

Insurgents in Kandahar's undergrowth drag Nato forces into 'green hell'
Spring brings renewed risk from IEDs, and political solutions seem a long way off. Julius Cavendish reports from Pashmul