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International relations

Afghanistan's woes expose power moves on Asia's chessboard

Confrontations in western wing threaten to taint the rest of the region

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Afghan policemen inspects at the site of a blast in Herat, Afghanistan June 6.   © Reuters

NEW DELHI -- On the morning of May 31, a water truck driven by a terrorist exploded in the diplomatic district in the capital of Afghanistan, killing 150 people and injuring more than 400. The tanker, used to drain sewage reservoirs, was instead filled with 1.5 tons of explosives. The bombing was notable for the power of its blast and because it targeted one of the most fortified and international areas in Kabul. 

Thirteen years after Afghanistan promulgated a constitution, the country has yet to find a way out of chaos. There is no denying that the tug of war over this poor country among Pakistan, the U.S. and Russia could have repercussions on China, India and other Asian nations. 

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