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Afghanistan risks becoming 'failed state'

As always politicians with countries "involved" in Afghanistan have painted a picture of successes being achieved in that country. The fact that the presence of the Taliban in the country is ever-stronger and that opium production is almost out of control generally slips under the radar of the media in reporting on the still very war-torn country.

It now seems, two reports just released suggest, that Afghanistan risks becoming a 'failed state'. The Guardian reports:

"Two independent reports from Afghanistan's former Nato commander warned today that the country risks becoming a "failed state" due to the continuing violence and economic instability.

A third report from Oxfam, in the form of an open letter to the prime minister, Gordon Brown, warns the situation in Afghanistan could lead to a humanitarian disaster."

And:

"Urgent changes are required now to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a failing or failed state," Reuters reported the study, by General James L Jones for the Atlantic Council of the United States, as saying.

"If Afghanistan fails, the possible strategic consequences will worsen regional instability, do great harm to the fight against Jihadist and religious extremism, and put in grave jeopardy Nato's future as a credible, cohesive and relevant military alliance."

Another stark forecast comes from the Afghanistan Study Group, created by the Center for the Study of the Presidency, which is also responsible for the Iraq Study Group. The group is co-chaired by Jones with Thomas Pickering, a former US ambassador to Russia and other countries."

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