WASHINGTON: Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Sunday it would be in the interest of the United States and its partners to see the military action in Afghanistan "resolved" before winter, but hinted that operations might continue during the month of Ramazan. (Pakistan News Service, www.paknews.com, Monday, Oct. 22, 2001.)

Comment: Secretary Powell is speaking realistically when he says it would be better if the fighting in Afghanistan were over before winter, but no one should interpret that to mean America and its true-blue allies won't fight through the winter. My vote would be for "no relief" during Ramadan. Remember the Tet holidays.