After 10 Years of Karzai’s Rule, Has Life Improved in Afghanistan?
After 10 Years of Karzai’s Rule, Has Life Improved in Afghanistan? - World News
Afghanistan - Many Afghans see dark clouds of uncertainty looming over the calendar as the 2014 deadline approaches for most foreign troops to withdraw, and worry that after that the international community will abandon them.
Over the last decade, billions of aid dollars have flowed into Afghanistan, and thousands of foreign soldiers and tens of thousands of civilians have died during the effort to bring peace and a modicum of prosperity to the country. Meanwhile, the government of President Hamid Karzai has passed laws meant to improve the lives of his citizens. Nevertheless, Afghanistan still faces huge problems, such as widespread violence, official corruption, grinding poverty and a booming narcotics trade.
“Plagued by factionalism and corruption, Afghanistan is far from ready to assume responsibility for security when U.S. and NATO forces withdraw in 2014,” think tank International Crisis Group said in a recent report.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai highlighted that his country “paid a heavy price” during the war on terror when he sat down with NBC News’ Atia Abawi in Kabul on Thursday. “I don’t even know if al-Qaida exists as an organization as it is being spoken about,” added Karzai, who expressed great frustration with the U.S. Watch some highlights of the exclusive interview.
Security
The Taliban are regaining land and power lost after they were toppled by U.S.-backed forces in 2001. While there have been more than 2,000 American military casualties during this time, civilians have borne the brunt of the violence. In the first six months of 2012 alone, more than 3,000 civilians were killed or injured, according the United Nations. This number was down 15 percent from a year earlier. Anti-government and coalition insurgents were responsible for 80 percent of the civilian casualties, the U.N. says.