[link|http://history1900s.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.afghan%2Dweb.com/history/|Afghan history]


Select the period from 1747-1978 - gives a brief summary of major events incl massive British loss in mid 1800s.

Also from the initial page, read the article about how Russia'a failed invasion of Afghanistan contributed to the collapse of USSR.

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In 1839, the British invaded Afghanistan and occupied the capital, Kabul. In January 1842, out of 16,500 soldiers (and 12,000 dependents) only one survivor, of mixed British-Indian garrison, reaching the fort in Jalalabad, on a stumbling pony. Fearing another Russian influence, the British once again entered Afghanistan in 1878. In July 1880 the regiment was cut to ribbons, while 'Abd al-Rahman Khan became Amir of Afghanistan, but agreed to surrender Afghan foreign relations to the British. In 1919 (Third and last Anglo-Afghan War), under Amanullah Khan, Afghanistan reclaimed its foreign independence from the British, who were never to interfere directly into Afghan affairs again.





Sober reading.

Cheers

Doug Marker

The lesson to be learned is the fanatical way these people fight & the other lesson is that even the mightiest should never be so arrogant as to believe they can succeed where everyone else failed. Not saying this has happened yet but many people outside US consider that the real problem with the Somalia ops was exactly that.

Cheers

Doug