Quote Originally Posted by yamiyugikun View Post
I've read about how eduaction is important for economic development. What about building libraries in Afghan villages besides schools and Mosques to help the population? I see libraries as important in raising the literacy rate and helping the people empower themselves. Does anyone know about libraries being constructed as part of the civilian surge in Afghanistan?
Access to the internet serves many of the same functions and many more that libraries serve. A library without good schools to guide the students is no more useful than an internet connection, imo. The internet is a bigger collection, open more hours, and easier to use.

There are obviously downsides of content that is more difficult to discern as truth or fiction, but most people seem to be focused on obtaining marketable job skills rather than verifying urban legends on snopes, so expanding internet access would seem to be something cheaper and more effective. Ashraf Ghani raised that issue in "Fixing Failed States".