How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
The Americans have armed the warlords once more, and enlisted the help of the Northern Alliance to drive out the Taliban and find Bin Laden. (4.49.29)
Again, the cycle of war continues. Sure, the Taliban is gone, but the Northern Alliance is far from a friendly organization. It's important to remember that it was the U.S. who armed the Mujahideen in the first place, setting off the chain reaction that led to the rise of the Taliban.
Quote #8
Maybe this is necessary. Maybe there will be hope when Bush's bombs stop falling. But she cannot bring herself to say it, not when what happened to Babi and Mammy is happening to someone now in Afghanistan. (4.49.37)
Laila is a true pacifist: she's experienced war directly and knows that even a "just war" can irreparably damage the lives of civilians. That's not to say that she is without hope; she's just realistic about the real effects of war.
Quote #9
It slays Laila. It slays her that the warlords have been allowed back to Kabul. That her parents' murderers live in posh homes with walled gardens, that they have been appointed minister of this and deputy minister of that. (4.50.19)
While the Kabul at the end of the book is healthier than it has been for many years, we still see the potential for future violence. It's a horrible irony that the people who caused the war in the first place are still profiting, while many citizens are struggling just to put the pieces of their lives back together.