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Ophelia 
Embodiment of Reason
Silver Contributor
Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 1274
Gender: 
Location: France
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 Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 4:09 am Post subject: Info: Historical background about Afghanistan.
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1- Ophelia’s introduction:
what I had learnt from history books and novels about the (then) mighty British Empire showed that attempts to raid or rule Afghanistan only ended in dismal failure – at sometimes heavy cost for would-be occupiers. In 1841, the British army under General Elphinstone’s command, as well as large numbers of British civilians, had to retreat from Kabul back to British India. Most of them (about 17,000 people) died in the attempt. The story was told again and again in British India for generations.
The lesson from History, as has often been the case, was lost upon the next century.
For an account of the events in 1841, for those interested (as I am!) in a very British English account, both culturally and linguistically:
http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=morris&book=english&story =massacre
For a really exhaustive and informative account of the British and Russian Empires’ Great Game which centered on Afghanistan, I suggest:
http://www.historybookshop.com/articles/commentary/afghanistan-two-inv asions.asp
2- A link to an excellent overview of Afghan history ( 1919- 2001) from the BBC News website
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1162108.stm |
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JulianTheApostate
Junior
Joined: 23 Jul 2005
Posts: 308
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WildCityWoman
Graduate Student
Joined: 13 Jan 2008
Posts: 418
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| Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 6:44 pm Post subject: You are a true scholar, Jules . . .
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I'd love to visit there - but like so many places in the world, even if I was free to go there, it's just too damn dangerous at this time.
Every time somebody gets on a plane to go somewhere, I wonder if they're coming back intact.
Hopefully, the difficulties of the world will come to an end some day and it will be safe to travel.
India is my first choice - as soon as I'm able (which I doubt will happen), I'm going there. I want to drag my bare feet through all the dusty roads and look into the faces of everyone.
Jeff (my husband) does not want to go and I wouldn't go without him. Sooooo . . .
Grrrrrrrrr!
Carly |
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