Many Afghans Leaving Afghanistan Before 2014

Many Afghans, those who can afford to, have left or plan to leave Afghanistan prior to the departure of ISAF troops in 2014.  Once ISAF leaves there are doubts about the Afghan governments ability to control the insurgency, questions about the current reconciliation talks with the Taliban, and worries about the economy when the aid money stops flowing. Some Afghans with international options will leave before the Taliban start to exert their influence over the country again.  Many who have tied their livelihoods to international aid organizations, NGOs, development firms, and the ISAF military structure are worried as well - both about the cutoff of their means to make a living and retributions for working with "the occupying powers".  There are many Afghans who are in an excellent position - as a result of the overwhelming corrupt nature of the Afghan government many of the high-level Afghan officials have already built their villas in Dubai and they are padding their overseas bank accounts with money siphoned off from the international donations.  Read more on the exodus from Afghanistan in "Racing for the exits", by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, The AFPAK Channel, Foreign Policy, February 28, 2012.