It is the midday sleepy time in Karbul. Karzai's manservant stands by the window, watching a fly buzzing around. He is bored.

Karzai is at the internet reading about the Forbidden Truth.

"Look at this - it is all lies!"

"They are lying, Master?"

"No, they are saying it is all lies!"

"The website, Master?"

"No! Everything!"

"Everything is lies, Master? But how can this be?"

"Let me read... They teach the children the untruth, they poison the mind, yallah yallah, ah - the government!"

"The government teaches the lies, Master?"

"They conduct the brainwashing. I think."

"And this is bad, Master?"

"I am not sure. This writings says it is very bad."

"But how can a clean mind be bad? The Prophet says..."

"Abesh! It says criminals and murderers are the most hated. How can it be? Criminals and murderers make the most money. Some of my best cabinet ministers are murderers."

"They should get more money, Master."

"Of course they should. But the Americans won't pay more!"

Karzai is getting himself worked up. "Listen, it says here: 'the justice system seeks no truth, in fact, it is deliberately structured in such a way as to hide the truth.' Can you imagine a justice system which seeks the truth? It would be a laughing stock!"

"Ha ha! You are right, Master. It would be laughed out of court!"

"It says Australia is the most corrupt society of all."

"Australia? What is this Australia, Master?"

"They are like Amerikans, but it says here they are like slaves. Drunkenness, drug-use, endless cycle of child abuse - what is this? Child abuse?"

"Maybe when the child abuse someone, Master."

"They have no self control, these places. It says here the child is a poison container. What is that?"

"Maybe it is like your food taster, Master. But we don't keep the poison in him. We try to stop the poison."

Karzai raises an eyebrow. "What poison?"

"Well, no poison, Master, but if there was poison it would kill him."

Karzai waves his hand in disgust. "Ah! I give up. I tried that Secret - remember? For one week I tried. I wished the Amerikans go home to Amerika and the Taliban be nice. You have to see it in your mind. Well, I saw it in my mind, but the Amerikans are still here and the Taliban are trying to put poison in my food. What to do?"

Karzai's manservant remembers. Karzai had seen the Secret on Oprah. For a week it was all he could talk about. Everyone in the palace was forced to read it. Karzai's cabinet tried to get their heads around it. Karzai worked himself into a frenzy with his mental pictures of the fall of Saigon and amiable Taliban warriors sitting in a circle with Karzai, all sharing chillums and laughing at his jokes.

"I can see it! Listen - the helicopters, they are going."

But alas, the helicopters were not going or coming, they were transporting the wounded into Karbul Base Hospital, four blocks from the presidential palace, same as usual. Karzai gave it up after a week and descended into one of his more sombre moods.

Karzai's manservant turned off the computer. Come, Master, it is time for your sleeping."

"Wake me if something important happens."

Yes, Master."