[kaesar14]

Everytime I read an article like this, 18 years out from the start of the war, I'm reminded of this Onion headline from that time:

https://www.theonion.com/this-war-will-destabilize-the-entir...

"This War Will Destabilize The Entire Mideast Region And Set Off A Global Shockwave Of Anti-Americanism vs. No It Won’t"

The statistic in this article about under-25 unemployment being 36% breaks my heart. This would've been me now, at my current age, born in a different place at the same time.

[sn_master]

> "A Global Shockwave Of Anti-Americanism"

I used to live in a major middle eastern country when this was going on. People were outright talking about the Crusader wars and there was a terrible sentiment against anyone with a light complexion.

[dls2016]

Another classic focusing on the 18-year aspect: Soldier Excited To Take Over Father’s Old Afghanistan Patrol Route

https://local.theonion.com/soldier-excited-to-take-over-fath...

[wahern]

Interestingly, the unemployment rate only began increasing in 2012: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SLUEM1524ZSIRQ Same pattern for total unemployment: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS?location...

In 2012 it was as low as it ever had been in 20 years. So what began in 2012? ISIS? Syrian civil war refugees? Completion of U.S. military withdrawal? (All a consequence of the U.S. intervention, to be sure, but knowing that isn't particularly useful in this case.)

[kaesar14]

All 4? I imagine American occupation was "good" for employment while it was going on - providing a steady flow of income from soldiers and the military paying for goods and services while we were there.

[KptMarchewa]

US military always carries all the shit they use from US, so that effect would be rather miniscule on the "enemy soil".

[nickik]

Also, no longer being under international blockade after 10 years might help.

[wahern]

The unemployment rate was pretty constant from 1992 to 2012. "20 years" in my previous comment was ambiguous, but I had meant the 20 years prior to 2012, not 20 years prior to today. Which, now that you mention it, is also a curious thing--the constancy even after the blockade was lifted.