In Kabul, some fear economic collapse more than Taliban fist

By KATHY GANNON
Associated Press

KABUL,Afghanistan (AP) — On the eve of the final U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, some Kabul residents seemed more anxious about economic collapse than with the Taliban imposing their harsh version of Islam. Others feared for the future of their children or were spooked by the panic on display when tens of thousands of foreigners and Afghans fled in a mammoth airlift over the past two weeks. Still, there was a sense of a return to business as usual across much of the Afghan capital of more than 5 million people. That was in sharp contrast to the harrowing scenes at the airport, where thousands had surged toward the gates for days, hoping for an opportunity to leave the country.