'''Afghanistan''', according is a Central Asian country bordering on [[Iran]] to the west and [[Pakistan]] to a September 10, 2002 the south and east. The capital city is Kabul.<ref name="Profile">[http://editionwww3.cnnnationalgeographic.com/2002places/WORLDcountries/asiapcf/central/09/08/afghancountry_afghanistan.gov.feat/ articlehtml Afghanistan] by CNN, "after more than two decades of constant warfare," was "a nation in ruins." Towns and cities had become "reduced to rubble" and its social and political structure had become "torn apart by years of bitter conflict. ... It was this ''[[failed state]]National Geographic'', [said] Western leaders, that allowed Afghanistan to become a home to [[terrorist]]s -- in turn paving the way for the events of [[September 11, 2001]]accessed November 2007." </ref>
==Background==<ref name="Profile" />*In 1989, the nine-year occupation by the [[Soviet Union]] ended. *In 1992, Muslim rebels overthrew the communist government.*In 2001, the [[Taliban]] gained global notoriety when it destroyed the famous Bamian Valley Buddhas.*In 2001 after the [[9/11]] attacks in New York and Washington, D.C, the U.S. and U.K. invaded Afghanistan. Afghanistan "has been hit by some of the heaviest fighting since the [[Operation Enduring Freedom|US-led invasion in 2001]] to oust" the Taliban, the BBC [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4992462.stm reported] May 18, 2006. "So far this year there have been at least 20 suicide attacks compared with 17 for the whole of 2005 and five in 2004." Afghanistan, "after more than two decades of constant warfare," CNN [http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/central/09/08/afghan.gov.feat/ reported] September 10, 2002, was "a nation in ruins." Towns and cities had become "reduced to rubble" and its social and political structure had become "torn apart by years of bitter conflict. ... It was this ''[[failed state]]'', [said] Western leaders, that allowed Afghanistan to become a home to [[terrorist]]s ------in turn paving the way for the events of [[September 11, 2001]]." {{Show badges| Tobaccowiki}}===Tobacco industry information===*Afghanistan was included on an undated [[Tobacco Institute]] list of middle eastern countries that do not require health warning labels on tobacco products.<ref>Tobacco Institute [http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/aja12f00 Middle East Countries that Do Not Require Warning Labels on Cigarette Packages] List. Undated. Bates No. TIFL0527545</ref>*According to a Tobacco Institute newsletter, the advertising of tobacco has been banned in Afghanistan on the radio, the printed press, billboards, in the cinema and other media, since 1979. <ref>Tobacco Institute [http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/eih72f00 Infolog Information Services 70/79] Newsletter. August 3, 1979. 4 pp. Bates No. TIMN0239491/9494</ref> <tdo>search_term=Afghanistan confidential</tdo> ==Articles and resources== === Related SourceWatch Resources articles===*[[Ronald E. Neumann]] - former US Ambassador*[[Afghanistan detainee abuse scandal]]*[[Afghanistan Relief Committee]]
*[[Al Qaeda]]
*[[civil war in Iraq]]
*[[Committee for a Free Afghanistan]]
*[[Exit Strategy from Iraq]]
*[[Iraq has replaced Afghanistan as the prime training ground for foreign terrorists]]
*[[rogue state]]
*[[Osama bin Laden]]
*[[Reagan doctrine]]
*[[September 11, 2001The Other War: Afghanistan]]*[[TalibanTolo TV]]*[[U.S. congressional actions relating to Afghanistan]]*[[violence in the Middle East]]
*[[war on terrorism]]
*[[Saad Mohseni]]
===References===
<references/>
===External resources===
*[http://www.af/ Islamic Republic of Afghanistan] website.
*[http://www.afghan-web.com/ Afghanistan Online] website.
*[http://usinfo.state.gov/sa/rebuilding_afghanistan.html Rebuilding Afghanistan], [[U.S. Department of State]].
*[https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/af.html Country Profile: Afghanistan], [[CIA]] ''The World Factbook''. Last updated December 16, 2006.
*[http://www.asiasource.org/profiles/ap_mp_03.cfm?countryid=32 Profile: Afghanistan], [[Asia Society]]/''AsiaSource''.
*[http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/SSEAL/SouthAsia/nuclear.html Nuclear Issues in India and Pakistan: Selected Internet Resources], University of California Berkeley.
*See the [[w:History of Afghanistan|History of Afghanistan]] in the ''[[Wikipedia]]''.
*[http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/afghanistan.html Maps of Afghanistan], Perry-CastaƱeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas Libraries.
*[http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/doc114?OpenForm Maps of Afghanistan], ReliefWeb.int.
=== External Links articles======History===*"[http://www-cgi.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/central/09/08/afghan.gov.feat/ Afghanistan: Rebuilding a 'failed' state]", CNN, September 10, 2002. * "[http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1003/108257.html UN: Afghanistan Could Become 'Failed State' If Opium Production Rises]", ''katv.com'', October 29, 2003.*John Heffernan and Jennifer Leaning, "[whttp:History //www.commondreams.org/views04/0209-10.htm Warlords' Crimes: Secrets of an Afghan Grave]", ''International Herald Tribune'', February 9, 2004.*[[Seymour M. Hersh]], "[http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040412fa_fact The Other War]", ''The New Yorker'', April 5, 2004: "Why Bush's Afghanistan|History problem won't go away."*"[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-07/19/content_1614785.htm "Poland to consider boosting troops in Afghanistan]", ''Xinhuanet'' (China), July 19, 2004.*Noor Khan, [http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article549507.ece "Afghanistan gripped by worst fighting since 2001,"] ''The Independent'' (UK), May 21, 2006.*Committee to Protect Journalists news alert, "[http://www.cpj.org/news/2007/asia/afghan22mar07na.html CPJ renews call for release of Afghan journalist Ajmal Naskhbandi]," March 22, 2007.*Committee to Protect Journalists protest, "[http://www.cpj.org/protests/07ltrs/asia/afghan23mar07pl.html A call to colleagues: Press for release of Afghan journalist Ajmal Nakshbandi]," March 23, 2007.*Edward B. Colby, "[http://www.cjrdaily.org/behind_the_news/the_worrying_case_of_an_ambiti.php The Worrying Case of an Ambitious Afghan Journalist]," CJR Daily, March 27, 2007.*Alisa Tang, "[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070328/ap_on_re_as/afghan_threatened_media Afghan journalists face growing pressure]," Associated Press, March 28, 1:55 PM 2007.*David A. Gross and Amir Zai Sangin, op/ed: "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/07/AR2008090701951.html Afghanistan's Communication Revolution]," ''Washington Post'', September 8, 2008.*David Ignatius, "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/17/AR2008121702924.html What Afghans Want]," ''Washington Post'', December 18, 2008.
===Articles & Commentary===
*"[http://www-cgi.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/central/09/08/afghan.gov.feat/ Afghanistan: Rebuilding a 'failed' state]", CNN, 10 September 2002: ": "After more than two decades of constant warfare Afghanistan is a nation in ruins."
*"[http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1003/108257.html UN: Afghanistan Could Become 'Failed State' If Opium Production Rises]", ''katv.com'', 29 October 2003.
*John Heffernan and Jennifer Leaning, "[http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0209-10.htm Warlords' Crimes: Secrets of an Afghan Grave]", ''International Herald Tribune'', 9 February 2004.
*[[Seymour M. Hersh]], "[http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040412fa_fact The Other War]", ''The New Yorker'', 5 April 2004: "Why Bush's Afghanistan problem won't go away."
*"[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-07/19/content_1614785.htm "Poland to consider boosting troops in Afghanistan]", ''Xinhuanet'' (China), 19 July 2004.
[[Categorycategory:CountriesAfghanistan]][[categoryCategory:AfghanistanCountries]]