Some interesting facts

1. In the late 90's the government of Iran supported warlords in the Herat area and the Northern Alliance in an attempt to oust the Taliban. Iran was concerned with the Taliban's treatment of the ethnic Hazara people, who were Shia Muslims.
2. Iran was extremely concerned with drugs being exported by the Taliban and Al Qaeda, the monies of which they used to finance terror. Iran actually built an electric fence in the Herat area. As of 2000 it is thought Iran had at least 1.5 million addicts.
3.After 9/11 Iran gave the Karzai government support, prefering it to the Taliban.
4. Pakistan supported the Taliban from the outset.
5. Pakistan was only one of 3 nations to recognize the Taliban government.
6. Pakistan's main concern has always been India and has always supported an Afghanistan that was anti India. A fundamentalist regime in Kabul would support Pakistani attempts to de stabilize Kashmir.
7. The Northwest Provinces( where Taliban and Al Qaeda remants have regrouped) has always been considered to be part of Aghanistan until the British partition of India and the drawing of the Durrand line as the Afghani-Pakistani border.
Given these facts,America's policy in the region seems to based on ignorance rather than any understanding of local issues.