Afghanistan is primarily in the way between the gas resources discovered in Turkmenistan and the pipeline in Pakistan which is where the west can siphon off these resources and ensure that they stay in the West's control rather than being tapped by Russia and used as an economic lever for more power.

In a sensible world this would not happen, but instead we have dictators who rule, be they democratically elected, puppets, or warlords, but essentially they share the same traits and cause the endless mess we are inflicted with generation after generation.

This could only be avoided in a bizarre world where the most sensible solutions to our global problems prevailed, which were fair to all and did not favor the most powerful (crazy idea I know). (more...)

For more than a century and a half the UK has been intimately involved in the future of Afghanistan. In fact, the UK fought three successive wars between 1839 and 1919 to gain a foothold in the struggling nation. Essentially, these wars were a conflict between two powerful nations — the United Kingdom and Russia — who both desperately wanted to forge their own sphere of influence in central Asia.

In truth, the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan by the British had little or nothing to do with the nation itself; rather, it was all about preventing the Russians from gaining influence in the region. Over the next seventy years there would be two additional conflicts between the two powers, in which Afghanistan served as the primary battlefield.

However, by the Third Anglo-Afghan war, the British turned their attention to the Afghans themselves, instead of the Russian, who they viewed as a possible threat to their colonisation of nearby India. While the British did win a minor victory in the war with the Afghanis, they would never again restore amicable relations with a nation they had once defended. That leads us to the present and to the state of Euro news today . (more...)

Though there is a dearth of information and current statistics, we do know that things are steadily improving in the war-torn country of Afghanistan. While at one time girls were expressly forbidden to attend schools, they are now taking classes alongside the boys.

Of course, the country has a long and arduous road ahead with regard to education. The literacy rates in Afghanistan are some of the lowest in the world. According to the most recent numbers, only about half of the male population is literate, while less than a quarter of the females can read or write.

As we mentioned, things have slowly improved, but there are still a myriad of obstacles in the way of sustained progress and future growth. For starters, the schools lack funding, are often unsafe and do not have enough female teachers. Unfortunately, under the repressive Taliban regime female teachers were not allowed to teach coed classes. Even qualified teachers who had taken aptitude tests were prohibited from teaching students of a different sex. (more...)

Moving is hard enough when it’s only a few kilometres away. But what happens when you have to relocate overseas? We’re talking furniture, computers, appliances, beds, even automobiles. Obviously, this is not a job you can handle on your own, which is why most families who are planning a move to a foreign country contact an international removal specialist.

These companies will take care of everything from the smallest household items to the largest musical instruments, we’re thinking pianos here. It is also possible to work out an arrangement with removal companies where you can handle some of the work yourself. For instance, if you have a few packages that you want sent ahead of time, you can package and send them on your own.

However, when it comes to the larger items, odds are you will need some help. For one thing, you will need to correctly package these items. And, let’s be honest, most folks have neither the experience nor the equipment to correctly package the kitchen table or an antique chiffonier. Not to mention the fact that International removals shipping services to France Italy Germany will customarily complete all customs, shipping and insurance forms. (more...)

Afghanistan is a landlocked country. It is surrounded by six different countries, but it shares its largest border with Pakistan on the eastern side. The terrain of the country is characterised by rugged mountains, small plains and an arid dessert.

The Hindu Kush mountain ranges run along the eastern and north eastern region of the nation. The north and south west has some plain regions, while the region near the southern border near Pakistan is covered by dessert lands.

The climate of the region can be extreme within limited periods. This is a unique characteristic of the region, with temperatures in winter going as low as -24 degrees C to as high as 45 degrees C in summer. While the nomadic tribes of Afghanistan travel the entire terrain on foot and live in tents, a foreigner trying to lead a similar lifestyle would probably suffer from acute heel pain , if not hypothermia, or perhaps heat stroke. (more...)

The culture of Afghanistan is very diverse, with different regions celebrating predominantly different traditions and customs. For example, south eastern regions of Afghanistan is mainly populated by Pashtun people and the northern and central areas of the country are mainly Persian.

Although the two official languages of instruction and communication in Afghanistan are Persian and Pashto, several other ethnic groups speak their own languages. These include Hazaragi, Uzbeki and Balochi. Urdu is also commonly spoken and understood.

Afghanistan has had a volatile political history and is currently an active war zone. Initiatives to teach English to the people of Afghanistan are being undertaken, in a bid to bring its people shoulder to shoulder with the world. An English language course can help Afghani people to acquire contemporary technical and social knowledge. (more...)

It would not be an understatement to say that flights to Afghanistan are probably not all that popular these days. For one thing there is a war going on. And, generally speaking, wars are not the best way to attract tourists.

It must also be noted that the US as well as several other western nations have advised their citizens against travelling to Afghanistan. Although citizens are not strictly prohibited from visiting the war-torn nation, it is generally viewed as a security risk. In addition to possibly being the victim of a terrorist attack, it is has been reported that Westerners have been targeted by kidnappers for forced ransoms.

But fortunately for all of us, there exist in this world intrepid individuals whose job it is to let us know what is happening on the ground in Afghanistan. As amazing as it sounds, these plucky professionals are about the only ones taking flights to Afghanistan these days, as they somehow manage to put the story before their own safety. This is a sacrifice few of us could think of or imagine. But imbedded combat journalists do this work for a living and the costs are only eclipsed by the benefits. (more...)

Though Afghanistan is by most accounts an exotic and beautiful country, years of violence and warfare has had an understandable impact on the tourism industry there. In fact, many western nations, including the United States and United Kingdom, warn their citizens to stay out of Afghanistan. According to their State Department, violence against foreigners is fairly common and it is difficult to prevent. Of particular concern is the abduction and kidnapping of foreign nationals followed by the inevitable demands for ransoms.

However, some folks simply must travel to Afghanistan because of their jobs. Often they are journalists, photographers, or foreign correspondents. And these people all need a place to stay while they are doing their jobs.

When it comes to travelling to Afghanistan, the particular accommodations are far less important than the region. What we mean is that it is important for travellers to check with their State Department or at least with reputable websites to see which regions of Afghanistan are hotspots for terrorist attacks. We don’t have to tell you that these regions and cities should be avoided at all costs. After all, finding a safe hotel in Afghanistan is not like in Europe . (more...)

Ever since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, one country has suffered more than the United States. Afghanistan has gone through numerous government changes as a result of the United States led coalition of the War on Terror.

The political landscape in Afghanistan is quite perplexing and highly unstable. The citizens of Afghanistan are not afforded the same luxuries as other modern countries.

Things that we take for granted such as shutters on our windows or a nice car, are an impossible dream for the average Afghanistan citizen. Afghanistan is a country that is changing rapidly, both in terms of culture and government. (more...)

Our world can be stressful at times, which is why it is always a good idea to take a vacation every now and then. Some people travel multiple times per year to locations all across the globe and they will tell you that travel is a great stress relief and a great life experience.

There are so many different places to travel to that it can be hard to decide on a particular locale. All inclusive holidays to Turkey are always popular among people looking to get the most out of their money. Turkey is a gorgeous country that offers many exciting areas of interest for the common tourist.

Even though Afghanistan has been ravaged by war in the past decade, it was once and still is in some respects a beautiful country to visit. Some people even go there to help out with relief efforts in a way to give back to the war ravaged country. (more...)

Putting Afghanistan back together is hard work. The country does not have the resources to build homes for everyone, and external help is needed.

In addition, there is a massive influx of refugees in larger towns. Both the Afghan government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) face a daunting task. Yet the population needs everything: not only security but also water, food, a sustainable economy, medical care and - naturally - homes.

When we arrived in Kabul we were shocked. We left our beautiful apartment in Rome and found ourselves in a devastated town, although it is the capital city. However both in Rome and Kabul, homes are the base of family reunion, and thus set the foundations of any society. (more...)

A comprehensive travel website should provide all the information that may be useful to a traveller. This not only includes activities, accommodation and other information about the destination, but also the processes involved in say, procuring a travel visa or other necessary documents etc.

A good travel web resource would also provide additional links and resources. For example, if you need additional paperwork from the government, the site should give the link to the appropriate office say for Ireland

. It should also give all other relevant information, such as the political climate of the destination. For example, a website about travelling to Afghanistan should give up-to-date information about the political situation, war, and warnings. (more...)

Nowhere in the world will you find a totally safe travel destination. Whether you're staying in Rome apartments or an Afghan hotel, it is always possible, just as when you are at home, that you may be the victim of petty theft, mugging or even worse.

There are a few precautions you can take, however, in order to reduce your chances of being targeted by criminals in your holiday destination. Chiefly, these common sense measures will help you to carry your belongings in a safe way and to store them in a similarly inconspicuous manner.

To begin with, as either a male or female tourist, you should never carry a lot of cash on your person. Similarly, you don't want to wander the streets with an expensive camera over your shoulder, or a cell phone sticking out of your packet. Don't make it easy to be robbed, in short, and either keep money and passports under your clothing in a specially designed pouch, or wear a cross-body bag with several sturdy zipping and locking mechanisms. (more...)

When you think of the home, you are likely to think of rooms such as the bedroom, bathroom or living area. Whilst these places and others such as the kitchen are the most used spaces in the house, there are those that can help to create a feeling of much more space in the property. Indeed, one of the most overlooked and neglected spaces in the home comes in the form of the basement.

The basement is generally used by the majority for storing bits of junk but it can be so much more! Just imagine what you could actually do to your basement to transform it into a workable, usable space. There is a multitude of other uses for the basement apart from storing junk; this could be anything from an exciting games room to a quiet sanctuary for a soldier returning from an Afgan tour.

Basement renovations are not an easy task but the results will make the effort worthwhile. Be sure to decide what you are going to use your basement for before you start knocking down walls or installing heating. If the room is to be used as a multi-purpose room then all of the demands of the room need to planned for before the renovation starts. (more...)