So, I cannot help it.

I love anything to do with Rule of Law, especially anything to do with Afghanistan, because I learnt a lot from my Afghan colleagues AND I always wonder how the US Government’s justice sector program is progressing.   There was a time when I would read and dissect what SIGAR was stating, both for my employer and my Afghan colleagues.  Nowadays, I hope there are others who are on top of this, doing the same thing.  Here is the latest SIGAR report:  https://www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2018-10-30qr.pdf.

I cannot find anything that gives me information about Rule of Law issues in Afghanistan.  Zilcho, zero, nada.  Maybe I am doing the wrong Google search…  because the only thing I find are articles written by implementers.  Which I find is a disservice to those who take working on Rule of Law issues seriously.  Even USG-funded websites that described what the USG was doing in Afghanistan in the justice sector have been obliterated.

The USG changes contractors, periodically.  So, whatever the previous contractor did -at the USG demand/direction- is totally forgotten when the new  contractor wins the contract.  Who cares, right? Yet, whoever has been trying to be a “historian”, or “curator” of the project, is all of a sudden left without any historical background.  Why?  Because, understandably so, the new contractor does not want to recognize the enormous work the previous group performed.

Luckily, the Internet is forever.  IMHO, it is my Afghan counterparts who need to weave the story of what the USG and the Afghan Government accomplished for many, many years.  I will just share what I think ought to be checked by anyone doing some research.  There is so much available, if we dig deep enough.  I wish someone would have done this for me…