CJ, no need for a lock in Japan 8)
As for Afghanistan, from what I heard, there is NO political will to stop the talibans. For the inquisitive minds, I got this information from the guy who my daughter bought her restaurant from. He is Afghani and worked for 4 months as an interpreter from december 2011 to april this year. He was supposed to have been there for a full year, but he came back after the unit he was assigned to was decimated by a bomb. One of the vehicules, the one he was supposed to be in was blown up, the bomb went off under the vehicule and the blast was so severe, the thing went up in the air and landed on its side, the guys were all stapped in, but two guys lost their lives when the starps broke uppon coming back down. He owes his life to being sent to another vehicule b the soldiers in the truck that blew up.
Whatever the salary, I wouldn't go there, I will take the snow and cold anytime and be safe.
Jean