Is Kabul losing Helmand?

If Afghanistan sneezes, Pakistan coughs. The latter’s political and administrative health depends on the health of the former. Nature has geographically located these two countries in a manner which is unique of its kind in the world and greatly dependent on each other for many things. Reports are that the Afghanistan national army is on the run in Musa Qala, which is said to be the most strategic part of Helmand. If the reports that the Taliban have overran most of this district are correct they do not portend
well for Kabul. This withdrawal from Musa Qala is going to affect the situation in other adjoining areas like Kajaki and Greshk. Needless to say Helmand has a porous border with Pakistan and is notorious for growing opium on a large scale. If the internal political and administrative situation of Afghanistan affects us one way or the other, the happenings in Iran, our another next door neighbour too are also of extreme concern to us. Iran is run by a Majlis which is composed of 290 members who are elected for a four-year term. There is an Assembly of Experts also which comprises 88 members who are elected for eight years. While the former is concernced with the legislation, the latter deals with the very sensitive job of electing the Supreme leader of Iran. In the Iranian administrative hie-archy there is a Council of Guardians too consisting of 12 members, 6 of whom are nominated by the Supreme leader and the remaining six picked up out of the
Majlis. This Council is very powerful in the sense that it vets all candidates for the presidency, parliament and the Assembly of Experts. Hitherto this Council has been rather reluctant to allow the moderates to come to the top. Odds are that the Iranian government is going to remain in the hands of hard liners among the men of the cloth for some time more. One Hassan Khomeni, grandson of the founder of Iranian revolution, Imam Khomeni, is an upcoming moderate who is liked by the middle class of the urban areas of Iran but since the conservatives among the present Iranian government do not like him they are creating hurdles in his way. He may have to wait for some more time to climb to the top. According to the expert opinion time is not far away when Hassan Khomeni assumes the mantle which was once taken up by his grandfather Imam Khomeni. There are many religious chieftains in Iran who endorse his religious competence and jurisprudential qualifications.