Oh hey look at this. Frank Ruggiero is the top U.S. (and I guess NATO) civilian in Afghanistan and has overseen the civilian “uplift” in Helmand and Kandahar. Don’t really know what it means that he’s leaving shortly after the anticipated Kandahar operation gets going in force — although my understanding is that there are a number of “shaping operations” already underway in the areas around Kandahar city proper, and there is U.S. activity in the city, so it’s kind of difficult to describe what the actual qualitative change will be when the operation (probably) gets underway, especially from Washington. Anyhow.

So at least that’s one plate I don’t have to worry about crashing ahead of my Guantanamo trip.