re: #18 piratedan

did we just find people compliant who would take our money and steal half of it and smile and nod or was there really no desire to establish a modern government with real democratic values by those who were involved in this proxy government?

Both, with a slight emphasis on the latter.

Just look at how many here in our countries misunderstand, indeed loathe, democracy. With over two hundred years of experience and generally good results from it.

A place like Afghanistan, which like so many post-colonial ‘countries’ is just borders slapped on a bunch of tribal areas, stood no chance at all of becoming a modern country.