It is a magnificent land, a high plateau, landlocked, windswept and freezing in winter, sweltering, parched and dry in summer. It has a proud people who almost reflect the tough climate; rugged, stubborn, fiercely tribal, traditionally loyal but with a tenacious mean streak if they consider themselves wronged. They sprawl across one of the ancient crossroads of civilisation but have hardly benefited and continue to live almost as poor as the dirt of the land.
This country, Afghanistan, is the real touchstone of the promises of freedom and economic development that are key claims of modern civilisation. A new report suggests world leaders - including those in the US, Europe, Japan, Russia and China - are failing to honour their promises to put Afghanistan on its feet after years of war and devastation.
Years after the Taleban was ousted, Afghanistan remains on the brink of poverty, the process of nation-building is fragile and the government depends on aid donors for more than 90 per cent of public spending. In spite of the west's heavy military commitment, the Taleban is fighting back.
Now, a report from a 95-member coalition of private relief agencies, including Caritas, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, Oxfam and Save the Children, is damning of the Afghan aid effort. It accuses donors of reneging on promises, selling Afghanistan short, and effectively of cheating both Afghans and their own taxpayers by conniving at corruption and rip-offs.
It is worth cataloging some of the findings:
Aid to Afghanistan has fallen far short of promises; only US$15 billion of the US$25 billion has been delivered.