The Cowboys of Kabul - Daniel Schulman

How a pair of bankrupt Texas grandparents cashed in on Afghanistan's contracting bonanza.

Afghanistan's cash-based economy, primitive infrastructure, corrupt government, and deteriorating security situation make it exponentially harder. With oversight woefully thin and auditors scarce, the bombed-out country has been a Disneyland for profiteers. "It's just a shame," says a former Louis Berger official. "That money should have gone towards the development of Afghanistan rather than into people's pockets." The Cowboys of Kabul Mother Jones

US gives Karzai six-month ultimatum to stem Afghanistan corruption ... - London Times
Remembering Afghanistan's Golden Age - nytimes