You say countries change but the only part of Afghanistan that's changed at all is the cities. Once you get out of the cities you're turning the clock back a th

You say countries change but the only part of Afghanistan that's changed at all is the cities. Once you get out of the cities you're turning the clock back a thousand years. It was never anything like a "liberal democracy". The fundamental political unit is the tribe and any analysis that does not use the word tribe is misinformed. It's very difficult for someone from the west to understand that a society so different from their own can exist today. It's a pastoral society centuries removed. There is no print media, no radio, no cell phones. Travel is difficult, and only possible some times of year. Most people in Afghanistan have never heard of 9/11 and do not understand the war(s). https://www.pbs.org/video/pbs-newshour-what-does-911-mean-to-people-in-afghanistan/ https://www.pbs.org/video/pbs-newshour-what-does-911-mean-to... edit: The comparison to Germany and Japan shows just how out of context Afghanistan is to western eyes. In european terms Afghanistan is pre roman europe. No roads, no laws, no central government, no news, no standing army. By contrast germany was a western country and japan was westernizing very quickly post Meiji.