Because the Taliban have been designated as “terrorists”, it is possible for the United States not only to embargo American aid and trade to Afghanistan, but also to block or at least seriously hinder efforts by other countries to send humanitarian aid. As a result, more than half the country’s people — 23 million at last count — are suddenly near starvation. Being both high (between 600 and 3,000 metres) and far from the sea, Afghanistan has severe winters, and very few people have enough food to ward off the cold. Even those who have savings are desperate, because the entire banking system i…