PRTs/Nato as Land Shaping Drivers
Seahorse:
I found it interesting that you should note that PRTs, ISAF, NATO themselves are a significant land use/population settlement pattern driver---as much as an attractor as a refugee driver (flight from conflict):
"Urban centres are under tremendous pressures due to in-migration within the 12 major cities which is influenced by operations in the rural areas and the draw of the PRTs and major NATO bases."
Very insightful, and important to remember.
Steve
Cite to Significantly Revised CIA Fact Book
Gradually, we are making some headway.
With apologies, the CIA Factbook has now revised it's Afghan Population figures from 33 million down to 28,396,000.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publicat...k/geos/af.html
If they can do that, perhaps they can update those really bad Iraqi provincial boundary maps.
Who says an old dog can't eventually learn some tricks?
Steve
In the Loop-The Latest Figures
Link to the "In the Loop" column of the Washington Post.
Al Kamen's write-up- "All those Afghans, give or take a few million"- sums up the latest significantly revised population figures. Down from 33.6 million to 28,396,000.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...l?hpid=topnews
CIA had, apparently, relied on the US Census Bureau for its Afghan estimates.
I'm still looking at the UN figures in the 26.5 million range, so another 2 million remains in limbo, but the new figure is better than the old one.
Now, how are the changes allocated to the provinces, districts, metrics, etc...?
PS- Obviously, somebody outside of our circle actually reads this stuff.
Alternate Census Data-Afghanistan
US Contractors in Afghanistan
A June 2009 Pentagon report indicated the number of US contractors in Afghanistan is 74,000, and, no doubt, rising. So, 1.1 contractors for each soldier?
Expat Experts
One report out of Rory Stewart's Harvard shop indicated that there were 5,000 expat experts in Kabul. I haven't found a source for that, but with UN's recent announcement that 900 UN workers are being removed, I assume that number will take a big hit.
I wonder how many expats you have to accumulate in a capital city before the shear weight of their bar and restaurant spending creates a nationwide economic boom?
Big controversy right now in Baghdad is why KBR hasn't reduced its staff as troop counts go down. I'm not an apologist for KBR, but if they are still maintaining everything they were before on all the big FOBs, plus working on shipping us out of there, is it illogical that their numbers might spike for a little while.
Regardless, as of October 30, the Green Zone is officially "dry" as a result of Iraqi orders. With the IZ liquor store shutting down and restaurants halting alcohol sales, it seems likely that Green Zone civilian staffing will plunge dramatically.