*[http://www-cgi.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/central/09/08/afghan.gov.feat/ 10 September 2002]: "Afghanistan: Rebuilding a 'failed' state," CNN: "After more than two decades of constant warfare Afghanistan is a nation in ruins."
*[http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1003/108257.html 29 October 2003]: "UN: Afghanistan Could Become 'Failed State' If Opium Production Rises," ''katv.com''.
*[http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0209-10.htm 9 February 2004]: "Warlords' Crimes: Secrets of an Afghan Grave" by John Heffernan and Jennifer Leaning, ''International Herald Tribune''.
*[http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101040308/story.html 29 February 2004]: "Remember Afghanistan?" by Tim McGirk, ''Time'' Online: "Tied down in Iraq, the U.S. is still struggling to pacify the country, root out the Taliban and snare bin Laden. Inside the other war."
*[http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=516&e=2&u=/ap/20040313/ap_on_re_as/afghan_mountain_storm 13 March 2004]: "U.S. Launches New Afghanistan Offensive" by Stephen Graham, AP: "The U.S. military on Saturday announced a sweeping new operation across troubled southern and eastern Afghanistan, with the aim of destroying al-Qaida and the Taliban and ultimately reeling in Osama bin Laden."