Earlier last month and again more recently, news outlets reported that the Obama Administration promised to wind down the war in Afghanistan, by removing tens of thousands of US troops by summer 2012 and placing Afghan security forces into lead combat roles. The promises may lift hopes for peace in that region; but it will take a very long time for life in Afghanistan to return to ‘normal.’ In the meantime, however, everyday life continues under difficult circumstances: universities try to function as institutions of higher learning and students try to be students.

This article provides a rare glimpse into what university students face in a war-torn country. Characterizing their dormitory’s conditions, one student quipped “that suspected terrorists in United States custody enjoyed better living conditions…the real Guantanamo is here.” Read the full article here.