As of Invincible Iron Man 18...

[Rich Lane]

The retcon is official--Tony was now in Afghanistan, not an undisclosed Asian country, when he got the shrapnel in the chest and met Yinsen.

It works for me, but it was a bit disconcerting to the anal retentive continuity geek that still lurks in the recesses of my soul.

[Alan M.]

I thought Warren Ellis established Afghanistan (or at least "the Middle East") in the first issue of his run on Iron Man?

[The Baron]

That's right, it was the Earth-2 Iron Man that was in Vietnam.

[Rich Lane]

Alan M. said:

I thought Warren Ellis established Afghanistan (or at least "the Middle East") in the first issue of his run on Iron Man?

Did he? I wasn't reading the book back then, so you're probably right.

[PowerBook Pete, the Mad Mod]

Mark S. Ogilvie said:

I wonder where he'll be in ten years?

Afghanistan will still work, or they can go with Annicannipannistan.

[Doctor Hmmm?]

Istanbul.

Or Constantinople.

[Mickey McLaurin]

Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople.

[Randy Jackson]

Why did Constantinople get the works?

[Figserello]

Mark said I wonder where he'll be in ten years?

Don't worry, Tony's political masters will be involved in many wars in 3rd world countries in the decades to come.

We won't run out of yankee-hatin terrorists to kidnap poor Tony and throw him in a cell with some old guy called Yinsin any time soon.

[Batmatt Beyond]

Sad to say, but setting the origin in Afghanistan will probably take care of the timeliness/timelessness issue for quite a while.

[Ron M.]

I miss Earth-2.
 
The Baron said:

That's right, it was the Earth-2 Iron Man that was in Vietnam.

[Mark S. Ogilvie]

I think it's kind of sad that there is always a new war zone for Tony to be retconned into.  

[Horn'd One]

Even Old New York was once New Amsterdam......