Advertising???

Is this article meant to be an advertisement for The Great Game Travel Company or has this article been written with a huge tongue in the cheek of the writer? I would love to have been born a very long time ago and have had the opportunity to travel to the 'Stans in the glory days of overland travel. Unfortunately it will be a very long time before tourism picks up in Afghanistan .. please tell me that at least all the profits, all the employees, all the services are actually provide by Afghans and not by occupying forces and their mercenary mates making huge profits at the expense of the locals who in some cases have been sent back to their country of birth because 'it is safe' to live there!

(Australia)