“Every year it has been dryer and dryer,” says Mohammad Amin, an official at the provincial department of water in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh. “It is not just in Afghanistan—it is happening all over the world. There is less water and no rain.”  Why water, not the Taliban, might be Afghans’ greatest concern » Image by Anna Badkhen. Afghanistan, 2011. 
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“Every year it has been dryer and dryer,” says Mohammad Amin, an official at the provincial department of water in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh. “It is not just in Afghanistan—it is happening all over the world. There is less water and no rain.” 

Why water, not the Taliban, might be Afghans’ greatest concern »

Image by Anna Badkhen. Afghanistan, 2011. 

The debate in Washington is focused on how soon and to which extent to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan. At the same time, villages in the North are falling to the Taliban — swiftly, unchallenged, and barely noticed by the rest of the world.

Journalist Anna Badkhen, after her most recent month-long journey through Afghanistan:

“One of his [Gates] arguments for keeping combat units in place as long as possible was that the United States needs to preserve the security gains that officials in Washington say have occurred in Afghanistan in recent months. But during my journey thru northern Afghanistan’s provinces of Balkh, Jowzjan and Faryab I saw no security gains.”