Herat is an ancient city on the Silk Road, originally built around an oasis in a fertile valley. In present-day Afghanistan it is the gateway to Iran, with a population of half a million. At the height of Nato combat operations in the country, a decade ago, I visited Herat to get a glimpse of what this war-torn country could become: it was peaceful and prosperous, with tree-lined avenues, historic sites and a bustling industrial estate around its airport. I discussed an optimistic future with students at the university, including young Afghan women never allowed to study before.
The hopes of those students for a more peaceful, tolerant and modern future for their country made a deep impression on me. They were showing it could