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'Berlin Wall's Lessons For Today'

In an op-ed for "USA Today," Jeffrey Gedmin discusses RFE and the role of free media in societies living under repressive regimes. More
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RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan

The U.S. Congress appropriated funding for broadcasting to Afghanistan in December 2001 as part of an effort to build a peaceful and democratic country, following the U.S.-led ouster of the Taliban regime. Radio Free Afghanistan has since built a substantial audience in Afghanistan, with surveys showing it as the most popular radio station in the country.

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Karzai Faces International Pressure To Confront Menace

In the wake of his reelection, President Hamid Karzai is facing intense international pressure to move decisively against the corruption that affects all aspects of life in Afghanistan. But what is the scale of corruption in the country, how does it systematically undermine efforts to establish stability, and what would it take to stem the growing menace? More

In Fear Of The Flu

Public fears of a major outbreak of swine flu are growing in countries from Ukraine to Afghanistan. What is not clear is how many cases are actually the dreaded H1N1 strain, and whether fears of a pandemic are justified. More

In Second Term, Karzai Faces Immense Task

President Hamid Karzai has vowed to form a government that will include all Afghans. But to form a workable government -- one that can deliver security and economic prosperity to Afghans, reconciliation with the Taliban insurgency, and a recalibration of the country's rocky relationship with the international community -- Karzai will have to overcome immense obstacles. More

Karzai's Victory And The Opportunities Lost

What has transpired in Afghanistan begs a key question. In a situation where popular support for the war and reconstruction aid is already dwindling in most NATO member states, can support for the "necessary evil" of Hamid Karzai be maintained when the lives of NATO soldiers are at stake, and given the huge financial cost? More

U.S. Weighs Working With Local Militias In Afghanistan

Can local forces help turn the tide against the Taliban? Washington is looking at that possibility as it weighs a new strategy for Afghanistan. The model is the success of tribal forces in marginalizing Al-Qaeda in Iraq. But many Afghans say turning to local militias can be a risky business. We look at why in this second of a two-part series on local militias in Afghanistan. More
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Facts & Stats

Map of Afghanistan

Population
32.7 million

Ethnic Groups:
Pashtun 42%
Tajik 27%
Hazara 9%
Uzbek 9%
Aimak 4%
Turkmen 3%
Baloch 2%
Other 4%

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 80%
Shi'a Muslim 19%
Other 1%

Languages:
Dari 50%
Pashto 35%
Turkic languages (primarily
Uzbek & Turkmen) 11%
30 minor languages
(primarily Balochi & Pashai) 4%

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