Taking the bat and ball from Afghanistan on the way out

As if Afghanistan isn't already confronted with a large number of issues - not least being that it a country striven bywar and all that means - with the invading forces heading for the exits by 2014, now capital is flowing out of the already poor country. AlJazeera reports:

"There is a lot of concern about security in Afghanistan as international forces look to a 2014 drawdown.

But few have given any thought to an aid drawdown, one with the potential to collapse the Afghan economy.

Since 2001 donors have provided more than $52bn to Afghanistan. Barack Obama, the US president, has requested $12.8bn for the 2012 financial year alone, to equip and train Afghan forces.

Then there is declared money – about $4.6bn – which passed through Kabul's airport in suitcases last year, mostly to Dubai. The real figure could be much higher as Afghanistan has been the centre of a $68bn global opiate trade.

Afghanistan's central bank has now capped money leaving the country at $20,000, anything higher requires a bank transfer. But keeping track of all the money is a big problem, mostly because of corruption, or at the least, shady dealings."

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Mahler's Prodigal Son

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