They knew the risks when they joined.

Isn't this terrorism?

Apalling.

Some "honest broker" we are.
Time for the US to leave the theatre and cut off aid and loans to all countries in the area. And the world for that matter. Individuals can always send their money wherever they wish.

Good riddance.

Unfortunately, the US has no intention of leaving Afghanistan. The US will agree to NO deal between Karzai and the Taliban.
Because the bargaining is in reality between the US and the Taliban with Karzai merely a puppet, the US side will never agree to a negotiated settlement. The US side is bargaining in bad faith, because no matter how favorable a deal may seem on the surface, the US intends to stay and get that pipeline built and operating.
The only thing that could change that stance that i see, is a major citizen revolt back home (on a scale larger than the Vietnam protests), or a series of major military disasters such as generals getting killed, and US troop deaths of hundreds per week for an extended period of time.

I am very weary of constant reference to the deficit as a percentage of GDP, as if that irrelevant percentage has anything to do with the deficit, the overall federal debt, or how it affects the average person. It seems to presume that the entire nation is the property of the US governemnt, so borrowing at some percentage of GDP is okay.
What matters is the total debt and rate of debt growth, absolute amount of borrowing each year (the deficit), the deficit as a percent of total spending for that year, and the amount of debt for each taxpayer. The percentage of GDP is a meaningless number.

The federal government has ceased to be a legitimate government.

But what about high speed trains?

Obama has demonstrated both during the campaign and in his first year in office that he has no guiding principles, no understanding of the constitution (despite being a "constitutional law professor", and is incapable of resisting pressure from powerful people who have an agenda.
He seems to be willing to just go with the flow.
He seems to accept the status quo, whatever it might be.
Healthcare notwithstanding, he seems afraid to really upset the apple cart.
The job of president takes nerves of steel, and he doesn't have what it takes . He may be a nice guy, but he is just not cut out for the job.