Brown Journal of World Affairs, February 2022 An interview with Arne Strand and Astri Suhrke, researchers working with CMI in Bergen (Norway), two long-term experts on Afghanistan, talking about why the Afghan (Islamic) Republic collapses so quickly, and what can be don about the Taleban and aid.
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USIP, 2 February 2022 Although economic and humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan continue to deteriorate, the Taliban have taken some positive steps toward financial stability by publishing a fiscally responsible three-month budget and raising considerable amounts of domestic revenue — especially through customs duties, which have risen with a crackdown on corruption. However, this budget raises several questions: […]
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The Atlantic, 31 January 2022 A long but worthy read by award-winning George Packer, for example on the slow, too late, bureaucratically garbled US evacuation of Afghan allies: … the president’s political advisers worried that the right would hammer Biden for resettling thousands of Muslims while historic numbers of Central American refugees were already overrunning […]
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The Times (not online), 28 January 2022 In Kyiv’s streets, where Ukrainians talk boldly and brashly of war, or just ignore its approach, stranded Afghans who only a few months ago escaped conflict in their own country are watching with jaded eyes, readying themselves for what may come. “I thought Kabul would resist for months […]
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Washington Post, 18 January 2022 Pamela Constable’s portrait of Nazir Kabiri, owner of a master’s degree in economics; founder of Afghan think the Biruni Institute; deputy minister for policy at the Finance Ministry under President Ghani; a Tajik – and one of the few high-ranking officials who remained in his position under the Taleban. On […]
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The Diplomat, 30 December 2021 Interesting rendering on the last operations, the fate and whereabouts of the Afghan Air Force, based on interviews with pilots now evacuated to the US, and very detailed information and figures.
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New York Times Magazine, 10 December 2021 Matt Aikins’ real inside story (from Kabul) about the collapse of the Afghan (Islamic) Republic – the run-up to it; attempts to organise a peaceful handover; Ghani’s departure; the evacuation (including Matt’s own brave action); the new ‘Emirate’.
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The Observer, 21 November 2021 Article with a self-explanatory headline.
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CTC Sentinel, 11 November 2021 Andrew Watkins, former Crisis Group analyst in Afghanistan, attempts a first, extensive and in-depth assessment of the Taleban’s now more than three months’ second rule in Afghanistan. In the abstract, he writes: In spite of the evolution in Taliban shadow governance over the past decade and the group’s growing sense […]
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AP, 29 October 2021 An interesting reportage from a village in Wardak province, where many people welcomed and even celebrated the Taleban victory in Kabul but still insist that girls should attend school. It only goes up to grade 6 but “The school [when it] opened two months ago, [it] mark[ed] the first time in […]
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AREU, 15 October 2021 One of those reports about Afghanistan you should not miss, as its author – David Mansfield, the authority on this fild – deconstructs one of the widest-believed misconceptions on the Taleban – wildly inflated figures of how much they earn from the drug economy. Here a short abstract of the report: […]
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Wall Street Journal, 11 October 2021 Reportage by Sune Engel Rasmussen from Helmand, Zabul and Kandahar, showing the other side of the war, local populations driven to support the Taleban because of western forces-caused destruction. He tweetd about his journey: I didn’t fully understand the scale of destruction in Sangin until I went there. In […]
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