That's the question some attentive journalist takes a break from round-the-clock Iraq coverage to ask every few months. This time it's Mitchell Prothero at Salon. His article was sparked by the recent U.S. army truck accident that killed several civilians and led to widespread rioting and U.S. troops allegedly firing on civilians.

Last night the RNC chairman told Jon Stewart about the importance of staying in Iraq until we can leave it in a strong, stable condition. But Afghanistan becomes more unstable everyday and seems to be completely forgotten by the American public and the administration. Afghans increasingly view foreign troops, as well as aid workers, as occupiers. But it is not the mere presence of troops that angers the people, it is the fact that the international community has not fulfilled the promises of rebuilding the country it made after the 2001 invasion, Prothero reports. The international community is in Afghanistan, but it is not improving the situation and many are losing hope.

"We are not asking for miracles, only a plan. If the poorest people in Afghanistan -- take Ghowr Province -– hear Kabul is improving, they won't expect a good life but they'll have hope. When they hear Kabul is not improved in security or economy from the Taliban they will give up hope, because if you can't improve here..." one Afghan said in the article.

And perhaps even more so than the foreign troops, Afghans are growing impatient in Karzai, which could have disasterous consequences down the road as the Taliban insurgents gain more power.

"Afghanistan now faces a worst-case scenario no one could even imagine a year ago ... Karzai could become so weak that he invites more and more Taliban elements into the government and sparks a civil war with the Tajiks. The other scenario is that devout Tajiks, who would never work with the Taliban, join with Guliban Hekmaytar, the one-time Taliban enemy who has become a fierce opponent of the U.S. occupation."

Why does this matter? History. After the Soviets and U.S-backed mujahadeen spent several years fighting and destroying the nation's infrastructure, both world superpowers involved virtually forgot about Afghanistan, leading to a civil war and years of instability that led to the rise of the Taliban. One could argue that if the foreign policy at the time hadn't been so short sighted, if Afghanistan had been rebuilt and stabilized, Bin Laden wouldn't have had a refuge in the years leading up to 9/11. Who knows what that could have prevented?

Yet, history repeats itself. Troops and resources have been diverted to Iraq, and Bush's popularity rises and falls in large part due to his failures in Iraq, not Afghanistan. The stage has been set for the Taliban or a similar government to again take the control down the road. The American people may judge Bush's presidency by whether he succeeds or fails in Iraq, but history may place a little more emphasis on the forgotten country.