Afghanistan, Democracy, and GDP

[davidbfpo]

Afghanistan has long been a "basket case" economy, with little of value to export (note how little is said about the natural gas production in the north) and I exclude heroin. In the early years of the Cold War there was competition between the USA and USSR in providing aid; for the road network and irrigation in Helmand Province for example. Has the economy really improved since the USSR's invasion? Let alone the latest Western intervention?

Not a good place to test an economic theory IMO.

davidbfpo

[Ron Humphrey]

Afghanistan has long been a "basket case" economy, with little of value to export (note how little is said about the natural gas production in the north) and I exclude heroin. In the early years of the Cold War there was competition between the USA and USSR in providing aid; for the road network and irrigation in Helmand Province for example. Has the economy really improved since the USSR's invasion? Let alone the latest Western intervention?

Not a good place to test an economic theory IMO.

davidbfpo

Or not a good place to expect something like that to work?

[TheCurmudgeon]

Any thoughts on the Indonesian system where 75% or more of military funding comes via private enterprise and the military have permenant seats in the government?