we are. They have a kind of 'competitive assortment' of powerful warlords. We OTOH have bloodless, institutionalized government by Corporate BODs (cross-pollinated so that all the large players sit on several - and vote each other obscene compensation). Our legislators are bought, not threatened directly with guns (usually). Our citiz ^h^h consumers are mesmerized by Corp products - theirs by religious busybodies and the fact of their abject poverty. (One leads to the <> other)

The servants of our Bizlords are confined to ugly cardboard cubicles for daily sentences, often exceeding the 8 hr. day (paid for earlier by Union blood) -- and many do not get even the measly typical two-week parole from this sterile environment. That is - most every maid, waitress, 'service worker' gets Nada - often relying on the generosity of strangers [tips] to try and pay the Roach-motel bill each week. (No chance of getting any apt. on These 'min wages'! Or health care.) Theirs: see 'poverty'.

Yeah it's a lot worse in most repects in Afg, and will be so for the foreseeable. Only -- it's just a matter of degree between us: we're richer and more sophisticated in spin. But we both rely heavily upon the docility of our sheep to maintain the Power-base status quo and the illusion of 'democracy'. (Or Godliness - there)

Of course, we have a more uniform 'justice system'; however, one incapable of (for not really Wanting to) rein in our currently near-largest War ^h^h^h Bizness Lord - based in the NW but with fiefdoms now worldwide.

So it all depends on what scale (and what relativity) one wishes to bring to the comparison - since by any scale, we have shown ourselves ~ as equally capable of institutionalizing power to approx. equal effect:

3-5% of 'US' control 50-60% of the entire worth of the place. One could say that the Afghans are the more honest (and certainly! the less sanctimonious) - at least they will put the corruption-charge officially on your hotel bill!

When's the last time you got a similar breakdown for the bill presented by your local Gestap ^h^h umm BSA 'bill'? for - very often - the 'crime' of having misplaced some invoice: thus paying maybe 3x, 5x? for the software you Cannot Own, and soon may only be able to 'lease' - on a distant server, at rates set according to (if trends persist) Govt. mandate. (For National Security, natch) Then there's the War on Drugs - we take Lots more per capita of those than.. the average Afghani!

(We have such a Way with language.. The Afghans could never create as many euphemisms for Pure Graft and arbitrariness - as we swallow every day!)

So before we cluck, tsk tsk tooo much: consider how unqualified are we - to teach anyone how to kick the habit of Rule by the Entrenched Elite Class\ufffd (Even if Our Lords wear suits & ties and Their Lords sport AK-47 bandoliers).



Ashton
I mean.. we wouldn't want to be hypocrites in front of an entire world audience, would we?