Abdol Wahed Faramarz
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Some commentators say the army needs more than Kalashnikovs to deal with an increasingly confident Taleban.
Local experts say unchecked pressure from neighbours could fracture the state.
Schools get history books that miss out all the bad bits.
Latest versions are so sophisticated and hard to spot that some Afghans suspect a plot to undermine their monetary system.
Clandestine meetings and confrontational officials make pinning down details of illicit passport sales a difficult job.
Serving legislators get four guns apiece, and some forget to hand them back when they’re voted out of office.
Experts warn country is overreliant on foreign aid money and on foreign troops who guarantee a measure of stability.
Provision at both state and private hospitals remains inadequate, and those who can afford it go abroad for better treatment.
Despite clearance efforts, forgotten landmines cause 50 casualties a month.