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Today, not much has changed in this undeveloped part of the world, and its communities continue to live isolated from Kabul or Islamabad. The millions of development dollars spent since the start of the war are seen only as the plane starts making its descent toward the Afghan capital. Suddenly the bare mountain ranges and isolated villages transform into an oasis of densely packed building structures and newly paved avenues that go on for miles. Not far in the distance, the lawless mountains that surround Kabul serve as a constant reminder of how fragile the situation remains in this war-torn country. - NYT OCTOBER 13TH