What went wrong in Afghanistan?
3 years, 4 months ago

What went wrong in Afghanistan?

Al Jazeera  

Nearly 20 years after United States forces entered Afghanistan, this is what it has come down to: The government has effectively collapsed and President Ashraf Ghani has left the country. Taliban forces established deep footprints and eventual control in districts around the country, including near cities – thereby positioning themselves for the urban offensives of recent days. Biden’s withdrawal announcement was as deflating for Afghan forces as it was intoxicating for the Taliban. They would have launched fresh offensives against Afghan forces, with US soldiers – spared by the Taliban ever since the 2020 accord – in their crosshairs too. Some of them – China, Iran, and Russia – are top US rivals, but share Washington’s interest in a more stable Afghanistan with less terrorism.

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History of this topic

Afghans still counting costs of US intervention
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Afghans still counting costs of US intervention

China Daily  

Afghan boys harvest potatoes at a field in Baharak district, Badakhshan Province, on Thursday. In mid-August, the Afghan caretaker government's acting minister for industry and commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, said that more than $7 billion had been invested in Afghanistan over the past three years, of which $500 million was invested in the industry sector, Afghan media outlet Tolonews reported. Mullah …

Afghans still counting costs of US intervention
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Afghans still counting costs of US intervention

China Daily  

Women weave carpets at a factory in Kabul on July 20. More importantly, the subsequent US sanctions slapped on Afghanistan following the Western troop pullout, and the freezing of more than $7 billion in Afghan central bank assets, have further exacerbated the situation, leaving Afghanistan on the brink of economic collapse. Over the past two years, Afghanistan's economy has been …

Afghans still counting costs of US intervention
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Afghans still counting costs of US intervention

China Daily  

Women weave carpets at a factory in Kabul on July 20. More importantly, the subsequent US sanctions slapped on Afghanistan following the Western troop pullout, and the freezing of more than $7 billion in Afghan central bank assets, have further exacerbated the situation, leaving Afghanistan on the brink of economic collapse. Over the past two years, Afghanistan's economy has been …

Afghans still counting costs of US intervention
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Afghans still counting costs of US intervention

China Daily  

Afghan boys harvest potatoes at a field in Baharak district, Badakhshan Province, on Thursday. In mid-August, the Afghan caretaker government's acting minister for industry and commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, said that more than $7 billion had been invested in Afghanistan over the past three years, of which $500 million was invested in the industry sector, Afghan media outlet Tolonews reported. Mullah …

The Taliban have ruled Afghanistan for 3 years. Here are 5 things to know
4 months, 1 week ago

The Taliban have ruled Afghanistan for 3 years. Here are 5 things to know

Associated Press  

KABUL, Afghanistan — It’s been three years since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Despite no international recognition as the country’s official rulers, the Taliban enjoy high-level meetings with major regional powers like China and Russia. The Taliban’s legitimacy to govern doesn’t come from Afghans but from their interpretation of religion and culture, said Leena Rikkila Tamang with the International …

Afghanistan under Taliban remains ‘permissive haven’ for al-Qaeda: UNSC report
5 months, 1 week ago

Afghanistan under Taliban remains ‘permissive haven’ for al-Qaeda: UNSC report

Hindustan Times  

NEW DELHI: Many nations have concerns about Afghanistan being a source of insecurity for the region even as the country continues to be used by al-Qaeda as a “permissive haven” under the Taliban, according to a new United Nations Security Council report. Taliban security personnel stand guard near a poppy field in Argo district on May 12, 2024 The Islamic …

Russia's strategic shift: Embracing the Taliban in Afghanistan
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Russia's strategic shift: Embracing the Taliban in Afghanistan

Hindustan Times  

In the ever-shifting landscape of international relations, the recent events in Afghanistan have ignited the attention of global powers, with Russia assuming a pivotal role. This strategic pivot is a momentous juncture in Russia's foreign policy, signifying a departure from its conventional stance towards Afghanistan. The Taliban's anti-western stance aligns with Russia's narratives, offering the Kremlin potential benefits like access …

How the US-Taliban Deal Failed Afghanistan
1 year, 3 months ago

How the US-Taliban Deal Failed Afghanistan

The Diplomat  

After two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the immeasurable sacrifices of the nation’s soldiers, law enforcement, and public officials, Kabul is once again under the rule of the Taliban. As part of the Doha agreement, the Taliban agreed to reduce the violence in Afghanistan, and Taliban attacks on U.S. and other foreign troops steadily decreased, but the group’s attacks …

Afghanistan is ready to work with the US, but sanctions must go
1 year, 9 months ago

Afghanistan is ready to work with the US, but sanctions must go

Al Jazeera  

Afghanistan’s new leaders believe in dialogue and an exchange of ideas. A year and a half after the developments of August 15, 2021, when the Islamic Emirate regained control of Afghanistan, the situation in the country remains extremely hopeful. The government has taken steps to disentangle Afghanistan from the crippling reliance on foreign aid – which defined the political setup …

The Taliban in government: A grim new reality is settling in
1 year, 9 months ago

The Taliban in government: A grim new reality is settling in

Al Jazeera  

It has been 20 months since the Taliban took over Kabul. The Taliban has also managed to pay the country’s electricity import bill, ensuring power supply to most of the country, although regular blackouts continue. But recent decrees issued by the Taliban’s Amir al-Mu’minin, Hibatullah Akhunzada, that are meant to curb nepotism and bribery within the Taliban government may indicate …

Abrupt withdrawal, lack of planning led to collapse of West-backed govt in Kabul: Watchdog report
1 year, 9 months ago

Abrupt withdrawal, lack of planning led to collapse of West-backed govt in Kabul: Watchdog report

Firstpost  

An abrupt withdrawal from Afghanistan and years of problems with planning contributed to the collapse of the Western-backed government in Kabul and the Taliban takeover of the country soon after American forces departed, the government’s watchdog for Afghanistan reconstruction revealed New Delhi: An abrupt and uncoordinated withdrawal from Afghanistan and years of problems with planning and oversight of US assistance …

Afghanistan marks 1 year since Taliban seizure as woes mount
2 years, 4 months ago

Afghanistan marks 1 year since Taliban seizure as woes mount

Associated Press  

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban on Monday marked a year since they seized the Afghan capital in a rapid takeover that triggered a hasty escape of the nation’s Western-backed leaders, sent the economy into a tailspin and fundamentally transformed the country. While the Afghan people are known for their resilience and ability to survive, he said, unfortunately “negative coping strategies” …

One year on, Afghanistan still suffers from US-inflicted pain
2 years, 4 months ago

One year on, Afghanistan still suffers from US-inflicted pain

China Daily  

Residents visit an outdoor market in Kabul on Tuesday. But the chaotic and humiliating withdrawal of the US forces one year ago has left a tattered and impoverished country in its wake. To begin with, it launched the Afghanistan war that killed at least 174,000 Afghans, more than 30,000 civilians included, made nearly one-third of Afghan population refugees, and forced …

Column: Kabul’s fall was a debacle, but long-term impact hasn’t been as catastrophic as feared
2 years, 4 months ago

Column: Kabul’s fall was a debacle, but long-term impact hasn’t been as catastrophic as feared

LA Times  

Taliban fighters take over Kabul International Airport last August and inspect equipment left behind after the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan. One year ago, as President Biden was withdrawing the last American troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban swept into Kabul and abruptly brought a 20-year, $2.3-trillion U.S. war to an ignominious end. It was Biden’s worst foreign policy failure, and …

Op-Ed: What does Afghanistan look like after one year of Taliban rule?
2 years, 4 months ago

Op-Ed: What does Afghanistan look like after one year of Taliban rule?

LA Times  

One year after the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, the country is an even more dangerous place. With the Taliban back in power since mid-August of last year, and its Al Qaeda allies getting a new lease on life, the situation in Afghanistan will get worse before it gets better. As Afghanistan becomes more of a permissive environment for terrorist …

Afghanistan under the Taliban regime | In Focus podcast
2 years, 4 months ago

Afghanistan under the Taliban regime | In Focus podcast

The Hindu  

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, has spoken of the “advancing erasure” of women from public life under a new look Taliban regime. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA as it is known, pointed out in a July report that seven hundred people have been killed and a …

US withdrawal prompted collapse of Afghan army: Report
2 years, 7 months ago

US withdrawal prompted collapse of Afghan army: Report

Al Jazeera  

The US oversight authority on Afghanistan SIGAR says the decision to withdraw from Kabul led to the demise of the Afghan army. The withdrawal of US forces and military contractors last year has been touted as “the single most important factor” in triggering the collapse of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, according to an interim report by the …

Taliban say US to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan; new political rulers not to be recognised
3 years, 2 months ago

Taliban say US to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan; new political rulers not to be recognised

India TV News  

The US has agreed to provide humanitarian aid to a desperately poor Afghanistan on the brink of an economic disaster, while refusing to give political recognition to the country’s new Taliban rulers, the Taliban said Sunday. The US statement was less definitive, saying only that the two sides “discussed the United States’ provision of robust humanitarian assistance, directly to the …

How did Afghanistan’s security forces lose the war?
3 years, 2 months ago

How did Afghanistan’s security forces lose the war?

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “We know what happens when the Taliban surrounds a …

Who are the Taliban and what’s next for Afghanistan?
3 years, 2 months ago

Who are the Taliban and what’s next for Afghanistan?

Live Mint  

The Taliban, an Islamist fundamentalist organization that ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until being toppled by the 2001 U.S. invasion, seized the Afghan capital Kabul on Aug. 15 after President Ashraf Ghani escaped the country, crowning a rapid offensive that started in May. The Taliban, a word that means “students,” were founded in southern Afghanistan by Mullah Mohammad Omar, a one-eyed …

‘New reality’ established in Afghan with Taliban takeover, foreign troops’ pullout: Pak PM at SCO summit
3 years, 3 months ago

‘New reality’ established in Afghan with Taliban takeover, foreign troops’ pullout: Pak PM at SCO summit

India TV News  

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said that a "new reality" has been established in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power in Kabul and it is now in the international community’s "collective interest" to ensure that there is no renewed conflict in the war-torn country and it will never again become a safe haven for terrorists. Addressing the 20th …

The West is getting Afghanistan wrong – again
3 years, 3 months ago

The West is getting Afghanistan wrong – again

Al Jazeera  

The dust has settled on a chaotic United States withdrawal from Afghanistan. ‘Al-Qaeda is coming back’ Two days before the fall of Kabul, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace declared that Afghanistan was “heading towards civil war”, suggesting the history of Afghanistan and the fragmented nature of the Taliban movement meant al-Qaeda would “probably come back”. By contrast, the Taliban has …

Analysis: Taliban hard-line path worsens Afghanistan dilemma
3 years, 3 months ago

Analysis: Taliban hard-line path worsens Afghanistan dilemma

Associated Press  

KABUL, Afghanistan — Reminiscent of their previous harsh rule in the 1990s, the Taliban have already begun to wipe out some of Afghanistan’s gains of 20 years. The U.S. needs Taliban cooperation to evacuate the remaining Americans and to fight an increasingly brazen Islamic State affiliate, considered the greatest terrorist threat against America emanating from Afghanistan. The Taliban would seem …

Exhausted and abandoned: Why Afghanistan's army collapsed in the face of Taliban forces
3 years, 3 months ago

Exhausted and abandoned: Why Afghanistan's army collapsed in the face of Taliban forces

India Today  

When the Taliban swept into Kabul last month, capturing Afghanistan's capital without a fight, the sheer speed of the collapse of the Western-backed and trained army stunned the world. But senior officials in the former Afghan administration told AFP that the lightning victory was not entirely unexpected, and the consequence of fundamental leadership failures, rampant corruption, slick Taliban propaganda — …

Afghanistan: An imperial disaster
3 years, 3 months ago

Afghanistan: An imperial disaster

The Hindu  

THE chaotic exit of the United States military from Afghanistan, just before the August 31 deadline set by the Taliban, has ended the final chapter of the U.S.’ longest war. The Taliban leaders were angry because they claimed that the military equipment left behind by the U.S. forces belonged to the Afghan state and that they were the legitimate successors …

Opinion | Afghanistan: All eyes on new Taliban govt now
3 years, 3 months ago

Opinion | Afghanistan: All eyes on new Taliban govt now

India TV News  

Fierce fighting is going on between Taliban soldiers and Northern Alliance resistance forces in Afghanistan’s Panjshir valley. In my prime time show ‘Aaj Ki Baat’ on Friday night, we showed videos of fierce fighting going on between Taliban and resistance forces in Panjshir valley. Taliban is offering a dialogue to resistance leaders because Panjshir valley is close to Bagram airbase …

Afghanistan crisis updates | September 4, 2021
3 years, 3 months ago

Afghanistan crisis updates | September 4, 2021

The Hindu  

The Taliban sources are claiming that they have seized control over Panjshir valley, the last standing province that the Taliban has not been able to capture, according to a Reuters report. - Reuters 5.00 pm At least 17 killed in celebratory gunfire in Kabul- reports At least 17 people were killed in celebratory gunfire in Kabul, news agencies said on …

Afghanistan's arc from 9/11 to today: once hopeful, now sad
3 years, 3 months ago

Afghanistan's arc from 9/11 to today: once hopeful, now sad

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. By 2012, just two years before the U.S. …

The Taliban have declared victory. Now they must reckon with a country freefalling into chaos
3 years, 3 months ago

The Taliban have declared victory. Now they must reckon with a country freefalling into chaos

CNN  

CNN — The last American military flight left the airport and disappeared into the Kabul sky on Monday – and minutes later, the Taliban flooded the streets around the city’s last exit point, filling the night with celebratory gunfire. Standing on the runway on Tuesday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid framed the militant group’s dramatic takeover of Afghanistan as a nationalist …

News Analysis | What did America achieve in Afghanistan?
3 years, 3 months ago

News Analysis | What did America achieve in Afghanistan?

The Hindu  

For the first time since October 2001, there are no American troops in Afghanistan. While defending his decision to pull back the forces, which led to the Taliban’s quick takeover of Kabul on August 15, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday he was left with only two options after the withdrawal agreement the Trump administration signed with the Taliban …

FACT FOCUS: Trump, others wrong on US gear left with Taliban
3 years, 3 months ago

FACT FOCUS: Trump, others wrong on US gear left with Taliban

Associated Press  

The Taliban have seized both political power and significant U.S.-supplied firepower in their whirlwind takeover of Afghanistan, recovering guns, ammunition, helicopters and other modern military equipment from Afghan forces who surrendered it. While the U.S. spent $83 billion to develop and sustain Afghan security forces since 2001, most of it did not go toward equipment. In the last days of …

US makes unceremonious end to Afghanistan war leaving Afghans to wonder what comes next
3 years, 3 months ago

US makes unceremonious end to Afghanistan war leaving Afghans to wonder what comes next

Firstpost  

As for those left behind in Afghanistan, a country of 38 million minus the thousands who have fled or died in recent weeks, all they can do is look forward The end of the United States’ longest war was unceremonious — trash blowing across the single airstrip of Kabul’s international airport, Afghans lingering outside the gates, still hoping in vain …

What did the US get wrong about Afghanistan?
3 years, 3 months ago

What did the US get wrong about Afghanistan?

Al Jazeera  

Much has been said in the past few weeks about the sudden takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. He reminded me that the Arabs also have the saying, “Better late than never.” But Sanad went on to say he would prefer to move the aphorism one step onwards: “It is often better to be never.” It would have been better …

As the US military leaves Afghanistan, two Americas are on show – and questions about power are swirling
3 years, 3 months ago

As the US military leaves Afghanistan, two Americas are on show – and questions about power are swirling

ABC  

"I believe in America." America's slow unravelling In his book, How to Hide an Empire, historian Daniel Immerwahr describes America as a "violently expansive empire of settlers, feeding on land and displacing everything in its path". George H. W. Bush, under pressure to intervene in the war in the former Yugoslavia in 1992, said the US "is not the world's …

Will the Afghan crisis finally bring down the U.S. empire of war, corruption and poverty?
3 years, 3 months ago

Will the Afghan crisis finally bring down the U.S. empire of war, corruption and poverty?

Salon  

Americans have been shocked by videos of thousands of Afghans risking their lives to flee the Taliban's return to power in their country — and then by an Islamic State suicide bombing and ensuing massacre by U.S. forces that together killed at least 170 people, including 13 U.S. troops. Even as UN agencies warn of an impending humanitarian crisis in …

US and Afghanistan: How the US got back where it started in Afghanistan
3 years, 3 months ago

US and Afghanistan: How the US got back where it started in Afghanistan

CNN  

A version of this story appeared in CNN’s What Matters newsletter. One was the willful ignorance of American military and intelligence officers – a failure to understand the history and culture of Afghanistan. WEINER: Last week, amid the chaos of the evacuation at Kabul’s airport, the CIA blew up Eagle Base – its last outpost in Afghanistan. RELATED: ‘A direct …

Taliban success in Afghanistan seen as boost for extremists
3 years, 3 months ago

Taliban success in Afghanistan seen as boost for extremists

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — A few days after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, a convoy of militants drove through the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria in cars bearing the group’s white-and-black flags, honking horns and firing their guns in the air. “The events unfolding in Afghanistan have given jihadi groups and U.S. adversaries reason to celebrate, and America’s allies in the …

Economic crisis, starvation, chaos or stability and possible partnership with the USA? The road ahead for Afghanistan under the Taliban
3 years, 3 months ago

Economic crisis, starvation, chaos or stability and possible partnership with the USA? The road ahead for Afghanistan under the Taliban

Op India  

The Kabul airport attack was what so many feared would happen following the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. Before the USA invaded Afghanistan, the country was a haven for global terrorists under the Taliban and many feared that once US forces left, it will again turned into a rallying point for Global Jihad. Economic Crisis in Afghanistan After the …

‘We’re losing the best’: Afghanistan faces a massive brain drain as its people flee
3 years, 3 months ago

‘We’re losing the best’: Afghanistan faces a massive brain drain as its people flee

LA Times  

U.S. soldiers watch over Afghans waiting to be processed for evacuation flights out of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Wednesday. What is the solution for them?” Since the Taliban’s rapid-fire takeover of Kabul on Aug. 15, thousands of Afghans, with the group’s brutal rule in the 1990s in mind, have massed at the capital’s airport, cajoling, pleading, fighting and even dying to …

What will Afghanistan look like under Taliban rule (again)?
3 years, 3 months ago

What will Afghanistan look like under Taliban rule (again)?

Al Jazeera  

On Thursday, August 26 at 19:30GMT: With the Taliban now running Afghanistan, chaos has erupted in the capital as thousands of locals and foreigners rush to flee the country before foreign troops exit next week. President Joe Biden said the US is on track to meet that date, despite pressure from countries including the UK and Germany that troops stay …

Opinion: America’s awful options in Afghanistan
3 years, 3 months ago

Opinion: America’s awful options in Afghanistan

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Frida Ghitis a former CNN producer and correspondent, is a world affairs columnist. While President Joe Biden has committed to ending the 20-year military campaign in Afghanistan – triggered by the Taliban’s refusal to hand over al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden following the 9/11 terrorist attacks – the US will continue to face tough choices there. But …

Afghanistan: How the Taliban's takeover could hurt U.S.-Pakistan ties
3 years, 3 months ago

Afghanistan: How the Taliban's takeover could hurt U.S.-Pakistan ties

The Hindu  

The fall of Kabul to the Taliban has left many people in Pakistan questioning their country's future relations with the U.S. Pakistan's Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari wrote an article on August 24 asserting that "her country would no longer accept being scapegoated for the failures of others." "Most Americans believe Pakistan's consistent support enabled the Taliban to succeed," Haqqani …

Pakistan Was at Taliban's 'Service', More Money US Paid for Cooperation, More Pak Supported Hardliners: Amrullah Saleh - News18
3 years, 3 months ago

Pakistan Was at Taliban's 'Service', More Money US Paid for Cooperation, More Pak Supported Hardliners: Amrullah Saleh - News18

News 18  

Afghanistan’s acting President Amrullah Saleh has put up a brave front so far as the Taliban take over the country, forcing thousands of Afghans to leave behind their homes and belongings and flee to safer areas. As Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani fled, accepting that the Taliban had wrested control 20 years after the US waged a war against the hardliners, …

Afghanistan withdrawal leaves allies in Europe to face harsh reality of US’s departure from world stage
3 years, 4 months ago

Afghanistan withdrawal leaves allies in Europe to face harsh reality of US’s departure from world stage

CNN  

London CNN — The sudden fall of Kabul and the Taliban’s near-total takeover of Afghanistan has left many of America’s long-standing partners wondering what will become of the values-based, US-led international order. NATO’s treaty opens with the pledge that: “The Parties to this Treaty reaffirm their faith in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and …

Afghan Episode Has Exposed American Fickleness, India Would Do Well to Remain Invested in Russia
3 years, 4 months ago

Afghan Episode Has Exposed American Fickleness, India Would Do Well to Remain Invested in Russia

News 18  

Afghans have broken the “shackles of slavery”, pronounced Imran Khan, the ‘noble’ Prime Minister of Pakistan, still distraught at the ‘martyrdom’ of Osama bin Laden by the American forces. The redoubtable former ISI chief General Hamid Gul had presciently told a TV channel in 2014: “When history is written, it will be stated that the ISI, with the help of …

Going from conflict to conflict
3 years, 4 months ago

Going from conflict to conflict

The Hindu  

On August 16, while explaining why he was so firm on withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan, President Joe Biden acknowledged the U.S.’s myriad missteps of the last 20 years. A more humane foreign policy Afghanistan’s current predicament is only a small part of a much bigger story pertaining to American foreign policy. Seen in conjunction with what has happened to …

In Afghan collapse, the fall of international relations
3 years, 4 months ago

In Afghan collapse, the fall of international relations

The Hindu  

The heartbreaking images of Afghans clinging on to a United States Air Force plane in Kabul, on August 16, in a desperate bid to flee Afghanistan is a reminder of the fall of Saigon, Vietnam, and the horrifying scenes of American diplomats evacuated by helicopter, leaving behind supporters to languish in re-education camps. But one has to recognise the fact …

Afghanistan shows ‘limitations’ of US military, experts say
3 years, 4 months ago

Afghanistan shows ‘limitations’ of US military, experts say

Al Jazeera  

The swift collapse of the Afghan government demonstrates the US military’s inability to engage in nation-building, experts say. The rapid collapse of the Afghan government after 20 years of US support shows the limits of Washington’s military power, several experts have said, boosting arguments against US foreign interventions and “endless wars”. Reliance on force Nawabi said the blunt force approach …

Taliban took Afghanistan but face cash squeeze
3 years, 4 months ago

Taliban took Afghanistan but face cash squeeze

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Taliban face a frontal challenge in cementing control of Afghanistan: Money. But Cordesman added, “To have a pressure point, you have to be willing to negotiate in ways the Taliban can accept.” As of now, the Taliban government cannot access almost all of the Afghanistan central bank’s $9 billion in reserves, most of which is held by …

Behind fall of Kabul, an Afghan military that was designed and hard-wired to fail
3 years, 4 months ago

Behind fall of Kabul, an Afghan military that was designed and hard-wired to fail

Firstpost  

Even though funding was lavished on the Afghan military, there just wasn’t time for it to develop a stable institutional culture, and allow it to operate independently Entire trucks began disappearing that summer, vanishing into the belly of the Dasht-e-Margo, the great Desert of Death which sprawls across south-western Afghanistan. Even though the Inspector-General’s office had been pressing the issue …

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