There are at least five power bases at work, funding and enabling those willing to take on their goals. Al Qaeda, Isis, the United States, the Afghan national government, and the Pakistani National government. The infrastructural projects which Afghanistan will be paying off for the next few millennia, all require construction personnel and advisors, who need security. Enter private security contractors, with their spotless past. This is not an exhaustive or well researched list, just what came to me in a stoney haze. Finally, there’s all the other incredibly shady, underground activity like drug and sex trafficking, blood feuds ended via anonymously tipped bombs, the murder of women for the smallest infraction, and finally child rape. The last accusation was repeated by multiple soldiers, and alleged through the translation of an off the cuff admission by an Afghan commander. I doubt he knew was being recorded. I'm paraphrasing, but basically, he stated that he’d rather g...