Author Anand Gopal: Afghanistan Is Not Much Better Off Than It Was In 2001 --- The scheduled departure of U.S. troops from Afghanistan at the end of the year begs the question whether the country is better off than it was in 2001? According to acclaimed journalist and author Anand Gopal, the answer differs from region to region in the war-torn country. -- Gopal joined HuffPost Live's Alyona Minkovski to talk about his most recent book "No Good Men Among The Living." When asked what economic state Afghanistan is in today, Gopal said there are stark difference between urban and rural areas in the country, the latter of which has been hit the hardest by the war. -- "It’s a society in which, as an Afghan, you run the risk of hitting roadside bombs, of night raids, of drones, of airstrikes, of war lords and commanders who operate with impunity," Gopal said. "Women still aren’t really able to leave the house in those areas. [They] still don’t really have access to education in those areas." -- He added, "Some people will talk about how Afghanistan has improved but they’re really just talking about the cities. In the countryside where the war has been fought, it’s really not that much better than it was in 2001." -- Watch the full HuffPost Live segment with Anand Gopal below: - HuffPost Live | By Kira Brekke, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/27/anand-gopal-afghanistan_n_5381695.html?utm_hp_ref=afghanistan