camp proposes. The troop level would then drop to 10 -- 20,000 in 2014. Special Forces, counterterrorism forces, and military training personnel would predominate. I suspect that most of these troops would remain in the north and Taliban forces under the loose umbrella of the al-Haqqani network would control the south. It would be a form of partition of the Pashtun South and the Tajik/Uzbek North in all but name. Now the Hazara centre will likely be the point of contact and low and behold if Bamiyan ain't right smack in the middle... Key has nothing rational to say because he doesn't know squat about foreign policy or what Washington's plan actually is. He's an accountant! He's just doing what Washington tells him and so far the plan looks like gradual withdrawal throughout next year, which low and behold is what Key is saying the plan is for our PRT troops... Gordon asks where I was yesterday. Well yesterday morning I was in the NZ Herald, DomPost, etc. commenting on the clear change of mission for the PRT. Originally we had a Provincial Reconstruction Team, and problematic though that was it at least had defensive rules of engagement. Now in the non-Hazara north-east of Bamian Province the PRT has become an active counter-insurgency force -- and Cabinet has just given it permission to cross into the neighbouring Baghlan province. Gordon is right that the PRT should be withdrawn. Keith Locke For all our hypocracy and commital to the UN Charter,