US Diplomat resigns over Afghan policy

The first US diplomat to resign his post over Afghanistan has published a letter today setting out the reasons why. Matthew P Hoh, a former US Marine and until this week a Senior Civilian Representative for the US Government in Zabul Province, resigned his post on 10 September. His four-page letter published in the Washington Post states: ""I have lost understanding of and confidence in the strategic purposes of the United States' presence in Afghanistan". He added: "I have doubts and reservations about our current strategy and planned future strategy, but my resignation is based not upon how we are pursuing this war, but why and to what end."