Why Afghanistan is not Taiwan . .

. . . and no, it's not because Afghanistan doesn't have much in the way of 'Betel-Nut Beauties'. I left a comment on a thread on David Rothkopf's blog on America's worst enemies explaining why the KMT's China was, in my opinion, the worst friend America ever had. A commenter then asked why Taiwan under the KMT had managed to succeed where mainland China had failed, I gave my best shot at an answer - which another commenter called J Thomas then compared to Afghanistan as it is today in a way that was totally on the money:

1) Unlike mainland China, the Japanese, although ruthless in beating down opposition to colonial rule, had built an efficient civil service,

Efficient civil service.

2) decent infrastructure

Decent infrastructure.

3) and education,

Education.

4) and the beginnings of a strong national industry.

National industry.

5) Throw in the much greater ease of managing an island without having to juggle regional warlords who only obeyed central government when it suited them,

No regional warlords.

6) as well as substantial US/Japanese aid post-war,

Substantial US aid.

7) and you have the tiger economy that still largely exists on Taiwan.

So, what does Afghanistan have going for it?

(my comments in italics)