--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I returned to Kabul after a 27-year…" description: "\"I returned to Kabul after a 27-year absence. I came away with some optimism but not as much as I had hoped for. The two major issues in Afghanistan are..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/khaled-hosseini-251_absence_i-returned-to-kabul-after-a-27-year-abse_918540.png" --- # I returned to Kabul after a 27-year absence. I came away… ![“I returned to Kabul after a 27-year absence. I came away with some optimism but not as much as I had hoped for. The two major issues in Afghanistan are a lack of security outside Kabul (particularly in the south and east) and the powerful warlords ruling over the provinces with little or no…” quote by Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/khaled-hosseini-251_absence_i-returned-to-kabul-after-a-27-year-abse_918540.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/khaled-hosseini-251_absence_i-returned-to-kabul-after-a-27-year-abse_918540.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/khaled-hosseini-251_absence_i-returned-to-kabul-after-a-27-year-abse_918540.png) > “I returned to Kabul after a 27-year absence. I came away with some optimism but not as much as I had hoped for. The two major issues in Afghanistan are a lack of security outside Kabul (particularly in the south and east) and the powerful warlords ruling over the provinces with little or no allegiance to the central government. The other rapidly rising concern is the narcotic trade which, if not dealt with, may turn Afghanistan into another Bolivia or Colombia.” [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author notes lingering optimism but highlights security gaps, warlord power, and drug trade as critical threats to stability. **In simple terms:** Afghanistan faces security, warlords, and drug problems. Key Takeaway Address security, curb warlords, fight drugs. Themes security politics drug trade governance regional stability Mood concerned urgent reflective Type analytical political When to use this quote - policy planning - NGO work - journalism - academic research Key Concepts state fragility non‑state actors narco‑terrorism Questions to Reflect On - How can central authority be strengthened? - What role can international aid play? A Different Perspective Efforts may be limited by entrenched interests and external influences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Allegiance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allegiance/) [Bolivia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bolivia/) [Central government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/central-government/) [Colombia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colombia/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Kabul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kabul/) [Narcotics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narcotics/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/) [Warlords](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warlords/) ## Related quotes > [ The \[George W.\] Bush administration tripled its aid package to Afghanistan. \[Hamid\] Karzai finally (and courageously) announced that warlords will be forbidden from holding… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/the-george-w-bush-administration-tripled-its-aid-package-to/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [ The Chinese central government will slowly and steadily lose authority while regional armies \[gain power\]. The Western powers are going to take sides to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-chinese-central-government-will-slowly-and-steadily-lose/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [There's a sense of desperation in Afghanistan because of the lack of funding and the fact that the U.S. only has a one-track military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-rashid/there-s-a-sense-of-desperation-in-afghanistan-because-of-the-lack-of/) [Ahmed Rashid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-rashid/) > [The warlords took part in atrocities during the civil war in Afghanistan. They looted, they raped, they killed. They have become incredibly empowered and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/the-warlords-took-part-in-atrocities-during-the-civil-war-in/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Afghanistan has always been sort of a fractured nation, very tribal, where the countryside and the distant provinces have been run by custom, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/afghanistan-has-always-been-sort-of-a-fractured-nation-very-tribal/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Leadership is the sum of those qualities of intellect, human understanding, and moral character that enables a person to inspire and control a group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-lejeune/leadership-is-the-sum-of-those-qualities-of-intellect-human/) [John A. Lejeune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-lejeune/) > [In order to assure an adequate national defense, it is necessary - and sufficient - to be in a position in case of war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giulio-douhet/in-order-to-assure-an-adequate-national-defense-it-is-necessary-and/) [Giulio Douhet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giulio-douhet/) > [“History would be boring without conquerors, bloodthirsty warlords and saviors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miltiades-varvounis/history-would-be-boring-without-conquerors-bloodthirsty-warlords-and/) Miltiades Varvounis > [A lot of what a military officer does is not just leading troops in combat. It's also doing budgets. It's solving complex problems. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zinke/a-lot-of-what-a-military-officer-does-is-not-just-leading-troops-in/) [Ryan Zinke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zinke/) > [For all the criticism about warlords, it is now likely that Afghanistan will never again be turned over to al Qaeda to train thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/for-all-the-criticism-about-warlords-it-is-now-likely-that/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [“The truth is that banks are the last feudal kingdoms, their rulers omnipotent, divine warlords. Their key lieutenants are 'ronin' (wandering mercenary samurai) who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satyajit-das/the-truth-is-that-banks-are-the-last-feudal-kingdoms-their-rulers/) [Satyajit Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satyajit-das/) > [You're not as much of a lost cause as she was. I mean, with her, I had to overcome her deep, epic love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/you-re-not-as-much-of-a-lost-cause-as-she-was-i-mean-with-her-i-had/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [And if our goal as moral citizens is to make the world a better place, then there is only once choice: to pump as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-levant/and-if-our-goal-as-moral-citizens-is-to-make-the-world-a-better-place/) [Ezra Levant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-levant/) > [Return to Shaoshan I regret the passing, the dying, of the vague dream: my native orchards thirty-two years ago. Yet red banners roused the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/return-to-shaoshan-i-regret-the-passing-the-dying-of-the-vague-dream/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [Wars--and what is war except crime on a mass scale?--destroy rather than produce. The vandal that destroys a window causes not only the owner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-young/wars-and-what-is-war-except-crime-on-a-mass-scale-destroy-rather-than/) [Adam Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-young/) ## More by Khaled Hosseini > [“Winter was every kid’s favorite season in Kabul, at least those whose fathers could afford to buy a good iron stove. The reason was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/winter-was-every-kid-s-favorite-season-in-kabul-at-least-those-whose/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Their fights didn’t so much end as dissipate, like a drop of ink in a bowl of water, with a residual taint that lingered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/their-fights-didn-t-so-much-end-as-dissipate-like-a-drop-of-ink-in-a/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“I think that everything he did, feeding the poor, giving money to friends in need, it was all a way of redeeming himself. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-think-that-everything-he-did-feeding-the-poor-giving-money-to/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“it always falls on the sober to pay for the sins of the drunk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/it-always-falls-on-the-sober-to-pay-for-the-sins-of-the-drunk/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Mariam knew that life for the most part had been unkind to her. But as she walked the final twenty paces, she could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/mariam-knew-that-life-for-the-most-part-had-been-unkind-to-her-but-as/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“I pray. I pray that my sins have not caught up with me the way I'd always feared they would.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-pray-i-pray-that-my-sins-have-not-caught-up-with-me-the-way-i-d/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“shoes: that putting them on a bed invited death into the family, that a quarrel would follow if one put on the left shoe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/shoes-that-putting-them-on-a-bed-invited-death-into-the-family-that-a/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [I have a theory about marriage, Monsieur Boustouler. And it's that nearly always you will know within two weeks if it's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-have-a-theory-about-marriage-monsieur-boustouler-and-it-s-that/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [The short of it is, as an aspiring writer, there is nothing as damaging to your credibility as saying that you don't like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/the-short-of-it-is-as-an-aspiring-writer-there-is-nothing-as-damaging/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Throughout the last century there were multiple attempts at giving Afghan women more autonomy, to change marriage laws, to abolish the practice of bride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/throughout-the-last-century-there-were-multiple-attempts-at-giving/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [At that moment, she cannot think of a more reckless, irrational thing than choosing to become a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/at-that-moment-she-cannot-think-of-a-more-reckless-irrational-thing/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“He says this is war. There is no shame in war. Tell him he's wrong. War doesn't negate decency. It demands it, even more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/he-says-this-is-war-there-is-no-shame-in-war-tell-him-he-s-wrong-war/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [For many people in the west, Afghanistan is synonymous with the Soviet war and the Taliban. I wanted to remind people that Afghans had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/for-many-people-in-the-west-afghanistan-is-synonymous-with-the-soviet/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Educate yourself, learn about what refugees face when they don't have homes, after they have lost everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/educate-yourself-learn-about-what-refugees-face-when-they-don-t-have/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Rahim Khan laughed. “Children aren’t coloring books. You don’t get to fill them with your favorite colors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/rahim-khan-laughed-children-aren-t-coloring-books-you-don-t-get-to/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) [Explore all 697 Khaled Hosseini quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) ## More Absence quotes > [Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/distance-sometimes-endears-friendship-and-absence-sweeteneth-it/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) > [Total depravity means the entire absence of holiness, not the highest intensity of sin. A totally depraved man is not as bad as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/total-depravity-means-the-entire-absence-of-holiness-not-the-highest/) [William Greenough Thayer Shedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/of-all-the-bewildering-things-about-a-new-country-the-absence-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Young men have strong passions and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/young-men-have-strong-passions-and-tend-to-gratify-them/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [The absence of God in most spheres of life is perceived to be normal, and even Christians feel it as normal - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-absence-of-god-in-most-spheres-of-life-is-perceived-to-be-normal/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/every-person-needs-to-take-one-day-away-a-day-in-which-one/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“I was thinking how most people don't make you feel much of anything at all. Don't make you feel like time spent with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lotter/i-was-thinking-how-most-people-don-t-make-you-feel-much-of-anything/) [Jane Lotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lotter/) > [Cooperation isn't the absence of conflict but a means of managing conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/cooperation-isn-t-the-absence-of-conflict-but-a-means-of-managing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. 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Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) [Browse all 2,057 Absence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I returned to Kabul after a 27-year absence. I came away with some optimism but not as much as I had hoped for. The two major issues in Afghanistan are a lack of security outside Kabul (particularly in the south and east) and the powerful warlords ruling over the provinces with little or no allegiance to the central government. 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