Afghanistan?

FaxModem1 · Post by **FaxModem1** » 2003-04-13 12:49am

Its been about a year and a half since we invaded Afghanistan, how is it doing now, are they starving? are they thriving? are they dying?

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-13 12:50am

We need to be doing more. Hopefully aid to Afghanistan will pick up soon.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2003-04-13 12:51am

Most of the country is still having problems, but there are signs of improvement concentrated around Kabul and other major cities. In particular, the standard of living in Kabul has gone from just a few tens of dollars a month to more than $1000.

Post by **Coyote** » 2003-04-13 01:46am

I wonder if it is possible for pople to go there to work-- probably not in the countryside, where it is still dangerous, but in Kabul. Specialty stuff that the Afghanis themselves cannot do. Hook up computer systems, etc. A Peace Corps thing.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-04-13 02:06am

The parts of the country protected by the coalition are doing much better, but you must remember that the country is economically limited due to it's lack of any natural resources. While Afganistan may become free and democratic, it will probably never climb out of third world economic status.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-13 02:12am

Wicked Pilot wrote:The parts of the country protected by the coalition are doing much better, but you must remember that the country is economically limited due to it's lack of any natural resources. While Afganistan may become free and democratic, it will probably never climb out of third world economic status.

Not necessarily. Japan has no natural resources.

Afghanistan could become a moderately prosperous country, provided the new government doesn't turn out to be too oppressive (which is always a possibility in Islamic countries, unfortunately).

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2003-04-13 07:37am

Durran Korr wrote:We need to be doing more. Hopefully aid to Afghanistan will pick up soon.

But that won't happen.
Since Iraq is the current Big Aid Problem (TM).....

Pu-239 · Post by **Pu-239** » 2003-04-13 10:40am

Does Karzai still have the problem of us and the UN refusing to put any troops outside Kabul for peacekeeping purposes?

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-04-13 11:07am

Pu-239 wrote:Does Karzai still have the problem of us and the UN refusing to put any troops outside Kabul for peacekeeping purposes?

Yes. Other problems include civil war between the warlords, continued Taliban attacks, assassinations every other week, attempts on his own life, and an army that can't retain recruits.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-04-13 11:15am

Durran Korr wrote:
Wicked Pilot wrote:The parts of the country protected by the coalition are doing much better, but you must remember that the country is economically limited due to it's lack of any natural resources. While Afganistan may become free and democratic, it will probably never climb out of third world economic status.
Not necessarily. Japan has no natural resources.

Afghanistan could become a moderately prosperous country, provided the new government doesn't turn out to be too oppressive (which is always a possibility in Islamic countries, unfortunately).

They could, but the problem is they don't have the necessary nation unity or determination to advance their nation. In most cases they'd much rather butcher each other over old ethnic grudges or kill for political advantage. It's the classic third world situation, they're perpetually held back by their own idiotic behaviour.

Ted · Post by **Ted** » 2003-04-13 11:19am

Master of Ossus wrote:Most of the country is still having problems, but there are signs of improvement concentrated around Kabul and other major cities. In particular, the standard of living in Kabul has gone from just a few tens of dollars a month to more than $1000.

The standard of living may have gone up, but that doesn't mean the pay from jobs has gone up.

You'll probably see more and more people leaving the city as they can't afford it there.

Pu-239 · Post by **Pu-239** » 2003-04-13 11:36am

Vympel wrote:
Pu-239 wrote:Does Karzai still have the problem of us and the UN refusing to put any troops outside Kabul for peacekeeping purposes?
Yes. Other problems include civil war between the warlords, continued Taliban attacks, assassinations every other week, attempts on his own life, and an army that can't retain recruits.

. Shit.

Pu-239 · Post by **Pu-239** » 2003-04-13 12:01pm

So much for "helping the Afghani people" when we haven't been doing anything to qwell the violence outside of Kabul.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-04-13 12:09pm

Pu-239 wrote:So much for "helping the Afghani people" when we haven't been doing anything to qwell the violence outside of Kabul.

And what are we supposed to do when they don't want us to stop them? Those that aren't pursuing some agenda of ethnic vendetta are in a disticnt minority. We could do more but frankly it'll just turn into a repeat of the Soviet war there.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-04-13 12:16pm

Stormbringer wrote:
And what are we supposed to do when they don't want us to stop them? Those that aren't pursuing some agenda of ethnic vendetta are in a disticnt minority. We could do more but frankly it'll just turn into a repeat of the Soviet war there.

You're right about that. The Soviets annihilated all comers as well when they arrived there, the problem was rooting out resistance. After ten years, it simply became not worth the trouble to stay. The US does have an advantage in that the guerillas aren't receiving aid from a superpower and don't share a border that was nearly as open as it was during the Soviet experience- but the border is still quite porous.

FaxModem1 · Post by **FaxModem1** » 2003-04-15 12:43am

Great, so the nation we invaded is a worthless piece of junk and the people will keep on killing each other till the cows come home. I sometimes wonder about the sentience of humanity.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2003-04-15 12:44am

Durran Korr wrote:
Wicked Pilot wrote:The parts of the country protected by the coalition are doing much better, but you must remember that the country is economically limited due to it's lack of any natural resources. While Afganistan may become free and democratic, it will probably never climb out of third world economic status.
Not necessarily. Japan has no natural resources.

Afghanistan could become a moderately prosperous country, provided the new government doesn't turn out to be too oppressive (which is always a possibility in Islamic countries, unfortunately).

It needs a goddamn infrastructure, industrial base, and national identity. Needs to set down tribalism.

Post by **weemadando** » 2003-04-15 01:14am

Wicked Pilot wrote:The parts of the country protected by the coalition are doing much better,

You mean Kabul and the regional airstrip up north?

but you must remember that the country is economically limited due to it's lack of any natural resources. While Afganistan may become free and democratic, it will probably never climb out of third world economic status.

That and the fact that there are still lots and lots of warlords with lots and lots of military capacity running around who don't like the outside world meddling in their politics.