Afghanistan spiralling back to days of Taliban, say charities

This rather depressing assessment of how things are going - or rather, not - in Afghanistan, from a piece in The Independent:

"Violence in Afghanistan has reached record highs, with unprecedented numbers of civilian casualties and terror attacks spreading into areas once thought safe, a coalition of charities warns. In a damning indictment of the international community's effort to stabilise Afghanistan, more than 100 aid agencies claimed security is worse now than at any time in the past seven years.

"There has been a surge in the number of civilian casualties caused by all sides, a spread of insecurity to previously stable areas, and increasing attacks on aid agencies and their staff," the statement from their umbrella organisation Acbar said.

The group represents 64 international aid groups with projects inside the warring country, including Oxfam, Mercy Corps and Save the Children, as well as 36 Afghan charities."

Has there ever been any real doubt that Afghanistan, if not already so, borders on being a failed State?

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Mahler's Prodigal Son

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