The British Empire spanned the globe. Its power and influence were felt in every corner of the world. The greatest jewel in the crown was India and any threat to the Raj had to be met with the proper equation of arms and gold. Afghanistan lay beyond the Khyber Pass. A weak king surrounded by warring tribes. The Russians were playing the holy war card.in the early 1840s and the Viceroy of India decided to invade the landlocked country to extend British power into the highlands of Asia.
The Great Game.
Easy victory.
1839.
Reduction of occupation forces.
Growing resentment turned to open hostility, as the families of the British troops and sepoys migrated to Kabul, as if they were coming forever. Military success was impossible against the better-armed redcoats, however strategic blunders weakened the invaders’ position and the lack of response to a murder of Sir Alexander ‘Sekundar’ Burnes, spurred an uprising leading to a badly-planned winter retreat by the British commander.
4500 soldiers and 12000 camp followers marched out of Kabul on January 1,1842.
The 44th regiment was destroyed at the Gandamak Pass.
Only one soldier reached the safety of Jalalabad.
A Dr. William Brydon.
“To err is human. To repeat these errors is the act of the divine.”
Few Americans have heard the name William Brydon. Even less know that this month was the bloodiest in Afghanistan for the US occupation forces. 66 dead. Only ten more than the number of women and children killed in a single NATO missile attack. No one knows their names. Not even me and I care about ending this war.
“Recent months in Afghanistan have … seen tough fighting and tough casualties. This was expected,” the top U.S. and NATO commander, Gen. David Petraeus, said at his Senate confirmation hearing last month. “My sense is that the tough fighting will continue; indeed, it may get more intense in the next few months.”
Intense could be replaced by the word ‘ugly’.
Ramadan may offer a respite.
August 11 till the new moon.
After that the Taliban and their Pakistani allies will attempt a Tet-like offensive to break the resolve of the Pentagon and their mercenary auxiliaries.
After a massacre by US contractors an Afghani asked, “Are we not Muslims? Are we not from Afghanistan? Infidels are here and they are ruling us. Why?”
Because no one in America gives a shit.
Gandamak 2010.
Then they’ll give a shit.
Until AMERICAN IDOL comes back on the air.
Bring the troops home.