The newly-found focus on the war in Afghanistan is the topic of our seventh episode of “Common Sense,” which will be up on Thursday. In 2005/2006, most of the “Common Sense” team went to Afghanistan–we arrived shortly after one of the first suicide bombs went off, and by the time we left in January, there was roughly one every day, across the country.

These photographs were taken by our Director of Photography, Nelson Villarreal, in Kabul:

Anti-Narcotic Afghan troops trained by Blackwater.

Even in the nicest neighborhood in Kabul, there are remnants of the last war (with the Soviets, for those keeping count).

A housing shortage due to influx of refugees from the countryside and high rent due to influx of ex-pats has driven many Afghan families into tents.