a story that wasn't in the NY Times today

[Doug Millison]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,1284,620905,00.html

"[...] Babi Sabir, 30, shares a small cave with eight daughters. They own a
rug, a pot, a bag of potatoes and some leaves. She was shot in the foot and
elbow but twice daily Ms Sabir applies "ointment" retrieved from an
American air drop. It is a miniature bottle of Tabasco sauce.

"Hunger is our biggest problem. We are down to one potato each per day,"
she says. The stockpile of leaves - fuel - will last a week but snow will
prevent further collections. Her daughters use rubble from the statues to
gash water from the frozen stream. Again, it could be worse. Ms Sabir lost
two sons to exposure and malnutrition last winter but the cave, she says,
should save her daughters. Neighbours have offered to make her a door from
the tin of a stove and petrol can. [...]"


...a grim detail of a story that is rather well-balanced.