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Economic Opportunity Trumps Terrorism

Editorial, The Washington Post | July 29, 2010

Clearing insurgents is only the first step in ridding Afghanistan and Pakistan of terrorism. ++ If economic opportunities are not made available, local populations will continue to turn to the Taliban and al-Qaeda. ++ The current congressional bill on Reconstruction Opportunity Zones, which would reduce the U.S. tariff on textile exports from the two countries, must overcome disagreements over labor standards. ++ “It seems a bit surreal to be planning against exploitation on an impoverished frontier where any job is better than none at all.”