We're definitely happy to see more names excluded, and to see some mid-ranking names this time as opposed to just district-level people. But there's still widespread disappointment that the big names are not on there.

Why should they stick to a Western timetable? Why hit the elections when they can hit any time they want?

Transitions are a time of testing, and both sides will have something to prove -- the NATO forces to show they are tough, their opponents to show they won't run. There will be more troops and more targets. It will be a pretty messy summer.

It's an incredibly emotive issue. This is something that really upset Afghans. But it is also being used to agitate and motivate the crowds by those against the government and foreign forces being here.

The state we're in now is because of the policy decision to co-opt those people who in the past committed human rights abuses. There's a culture of impunity. They continue in many cases to abuse the rights of people under them. There are drug problems in the north, tribal problems, sheer criminality.

It's an incredibly emotive issue. This is something that really upset Afghans.