Another step toward Afghan independence

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Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai has announced the seven areas of the country, about one-fifth of the Afghan population, which will soon pass from control by foreign troops into Afghan hands. The handover is seen as a critical step in the transition of power before foreign troops end combat operations at the end of 2014. The BBC’s Quentin Sommerville reports. Download MP3

Afghanistan’s precarious moment

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On our history podcast this week, The World’s Jeb Sharp looks at the history of warlordism in Afghanistan after the return of the notorious Uzbek leader General Abdul Rashid Dostum. We consider the legacy of Afghanistan’s civil strife and its regional and ethnic politics and the implications for this week’s elections. AP Photo/Darko Bandic. >>> Click here to subscribe to Jeb’s “How We Got Here” podcast.