Any country that is an entry point into central Asia, strategically located with plenty of natural resources, has some of the bravest and most resilient people in the world should be peacful, protected and rich... But unfortunately, the words we associate with Afghanistan are chaotic, turbulent, poverty-stricken etc.
I feel for everybody associated with Afghanistan today, its people, its puppet government. Its a country that is a classical example of proxy war that the world's superpowers have been playing since the end of World War II. For the Afghans the World War , yes World war III, involving the Soviets, Americans, British, Canadians, Australians and Germans ( as a part of the NATO forces ), Talibani etc has been going on for over three decades.
I was watching some Afghanistan videos containing pictures of Kabul in the mid 1900's , and it is hard to believe how beautiful the country was.It is still beautiful, but alas the beauty has been almost disguised in a veil by the ruthless face of destruction that has plagued the majority of the country.
The Afghans consisting mostly of Pashtuns (Pathans) are some of the bravest people in the world.They have tribes that have a proud past, never having been enslaved, even the British troops could not move beyond the Khyber Pass . The Soviets fell when they tried to invade the Afghans and now the NATO troops have begun to suffer at the hands of a resurgent Taliban.
Taliban literally translates as "Students", its essentially a student amy made up of radical, madrassa educated Islamic youngsters, recruited chiefly from the mountainous region of the Pakistan- Afghan border.The big mistake they made was giving Osama and Al Qaeda shelter.They always had a soft corner for the wealthy Saudi, who had generously helped them during their war with Soviets in conjunction with the Americans!!
They followed the classical Pathan tradition of protecting your guest by not handing him over to the Americans after the 9/11 tragedy.The same people who were responsible for creating them started destroying them.Pity!!
I always thought that Afghanistan was just a battlefield where the real war between the militant factions and the Americans is being fought.It was a battlefield even when there was proxy war between the communist soviets and the capitalist Americans.
For God sake , its a country, not a war field!!
I just hope all this ends one day, I know its a just a hope.. Damage has already been done.
Hats off to the Afghan common man
p.s.: I deeply grieve the death of various Indian diplomats and some Indian army personnel in the Indian embassy bombing that took place in kabul a couple of days ago.
May their soul rest in peace
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2 comments:
Indeed, it's a pity India lost some of its men because of the blast at the Embassy. From what I've heard, the ISI had something to do with it, I hope the militants involved are brought to justice. India entered Afghanistan for strategic reasons by offering to build power stations, roads etc. I think this irritated our rivals and they chose to bomb us. What a shame.
Exactly, could not agree more with you.
I seriously think its another case of the proxy war Pakistan is playing against India.They ve played it may times in Kashmir before.They do not have the force to hit us head on,and they continue to do such cheap things.I have no doubt in my mind that its Pakistan.
Pity how Afghanistan is being used for such selfish purposes, again and again!!
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