WASHINGTON—The United States and the international community have been engaged in Afghanistan for 15 years and poured in billions of dollars to stabilize the country. It’s not looking good. The news headlines in the United States emphasize the government conflict with the Taliban and, lately, with ISIS, but almost nothing is reported on how the Afghan people are faring today after decades of constant warfare.
In addition to the Taliban insurgency, the Afghan people are also beset with other troubles: political dysfunction, drought, earthquakes, depletion of natural resources, and ubiquitous corruption. The population will double in the next 20 years, placing a strain on Afghanistan’s natural resources, particularly water, which has become a frequent source of conflict, according to Mercy Corps, an NGO currently active in the country.
It doesn’t look hopeful for many people, especially the young people, who are the country’s future. Last year, Afghans left for Europe and elsewhere in larger numbers than at any other time in the decade. The large number of Afghan refugees is not getting much media coverage, and much less coverage is given as to why this exodus is taking place.
