Yes, it does hold true many people. So I'm not maligning Afghans.

I'm not calling them eternal parasites and sorry I don't see what it has to do with hubris and arrogance. Perhaps you mean the U.S. was full of that--and I wouldn't argue the other way--but has nothing to do with me or what I'm writing.

Military machines do not need war. For the past 70+ years almost all major militaries have spent 99% of their time and money training and little else.

What does my analysis of their survival have to do with imperialist thinking?

I agree with you about drugs. But what does that have to do with my story?

Who knows who really creates who? The US wasn't interfering, it was downright trying to control Afghanistan.

"Leave Afghanistan alone". What? Like I make any difference there? I try to be neutral about my geopolitical analysis.

Farida, I enjoy your writing but you're ripping me a new one for observations I've made about the challenges facing all lands with difficult geography, from Afghanistan to Mexico to many parts of Asia.

I say "we're all extortionists". I'm not blaming Afghans for the problems I point out. I'm showing the problem of being a fragmented country with a lot of militants running around. I don't have a solution.

I'm only trying to explain the mechanics in play.