The US needs to pull
out of Afghanistan and let the chips fall where they may. The fear is that the
Taliban will turn Afghanistan into the next Iran funded by opium exports. It is
a criminal enterprise.
The real battle is
between Sharia rule and Moderate Islam and it’s up to the Taliban and the
Central Government to negotiate. The US
prefers the Moderate option with full employment for the Afghan people. Afghanistan could go the way of Iran and the
US would apply sanctions.
The population of
Afghanistan is 31.6 million with a land area of 251,830 square miles. Labor
force is 8.5 million
Nominal GDP is $20.8
billion, Nominal Per Capita GDP is $618. GDP by sector is agriculture 23%,
industry 21.1% and services 55.9%. Labor force by occupation is agriculture
44.3%, industry 18.1% and services 38%
Poverty is 36%.
Inflation is 3%, Unemployment is 24%.
Industries are opium,
natural gas, coal, copper, textiles, soap, cement fertilizer furniture, shoes,
apparel and food.
Exports $875 million
include opium, fruit, nuts, cotton, hides, rugs and gemstones sold to India
56%, Pakistan 30%, Iran 3%, Iraq 2% Turkey 2%.
Imports $7.6 billion
include machinery, capital goods, food, textiles and petroleum. From China 21%,
Iran 20%, Pakistan 12%, Kazakhstan 11%, Uzbekistan 7%, Malaysia 5%.
Government revenue
$2.3 billion, spending $5.3 billion, external debt $3 billion, foreign reserves
$7.8 billion.
Afghanistan was ruled
by Monarchy until 1973. Regional factions rose to fill the vacuum. The USSR
invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and the Taliban formed to fight the USSR until
1989. The Taliban regional model survived and pushed for strict Sharia law. The
US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to remove al Qaeda terrorists and continues to
support the central government in fighting ISIS terror groups. The Taliban
continues to resist the central republic and controls 90% of Afghanistan. The
central government continues to negotiate with the Taliban.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody
GA Tea Party Leader
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