We all hoped in 2001 that we could put in place an Afghan government under President Karzai that would be able to control the country make sure al-Qaeda didn't come back and make sure the Taliban wasn't resurging. It didn't work out.
Marriage of attraction is a gamble anyway so you might as well marry into a family that is similar to your own and make that much less of an adjustment. But the 'love marriage' as it is called is equally common in India now. But it would be interesting to do a comparison of what would work better. Marriage is hard work and it is a gamble.