6 simple questions for the PPRuNE aleet
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"The UK, through the East India Co, invaded Afghanistan in 1850 something to secure a summer home for the Indian Raj.
By 1866 (I think) insurgents -now there's a word - had driven out the invaders culminating in all 18,000 soldiers dying as a result.
Only one survived, a doctor, whose horse died at the gates of the fort to which he escaped."
An Average Joe replies: Not quite true. He wasn't the only one to survive and that particular urban myth is about the 1841 retreat from Kabul led by one of the most incompetent generals ever (and that's saying something) General Elphinstone. There were around 10,000 in the retreat but a vast number of those were camp follower/baggage handlers etc. Which doesn't make it OK for the camp followers/baggage handlers but you get my drift. Comparatively few were actually British soldiers/cavalry.
The whole scenario was misread by the politicos out there (another surprise then) who were trying to support the British puppet king.
By 1866 (I think) insurgents -now there's a word - had driven out the invaders culminating in all 18,000 soldiers dying as a result.
Only one survived, a doctor, whose horse died at the gates of the fort to which he escaped."
An Average Joe replies: Not quite true. He wasn't the only one to survive and that particular urban myth is about the 1841 retreat from Kabul led by one of the most incompetent generals ever (and that's saying something) General Elphinstone. There were around 10,000 in the retreat but a vast number of those were camp follower/baggage handlers etc. Which doesn't make it OK for the camp followers/baggage handlers but you get my drift. Comparatively few were actually British soldiers/cavalry.
The whole scenario was misread by the politicos out there (another surprise then) who were trying to support the British puppet king.
Champagne anyone...?
The late Robin Cook was correct to say that the solution for peace in the wider Middle-East and the attendant threat of domestic terrorism is to address the injustice we have condoned over many years on the Palestinian people.
If all Israelis were to keel over tomorrow and Palestinians were to rule over Palestine the "troubles" of the Middle East and the terrorism/fatwa/holy war/whatever against the West and all it stands for would abate by approximately 0.0001%.
PS. tarantonight:
Hope all of that was tongue in cheek StopStart, or maybe you are a Cavalry Type with your private income...................................
Legen..........
....wait for it.......
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War
I think it was Tom Clancy who wrote in one of his novels something along the lines of "war is armed robbery writ large". As another poster has said, it's about money, power and oil - in any order you like to place them!
I could go on about the similarities between Vietnam and Afghanistan and why the allies will, eventually, fail in Afghanistan, but I'm not into thesis writing right now!
I could go on about the similarities between Vietnam and Afghanistan and why the allies will, eventually, fail in Afghanistan, but I'm not into thesis writing right now!
