afghanistan

Afghanistan means "Land of the Afghans." Modern Afghanistan was created in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani, who created the Durrani Empire. During the 19th Century, Afghanistan was a buffer state in the Great Game, which was a land grab between the British and Russian empires. Many of Rudyard Kipling’s books were about the Great Game.

Some believe the Great Game has carried into modern times starting with the Soviet invasion in the late 70's and the subsequent support of the Mujahedeen by the Western and Islamic powers. When the Soviets left, the country fell into civil war and most of it was eventually controlled by the Taliban. It is largely believed that the Taliban was created by Pakistan's intelligence service (ISI) in order to keep its own tribal areas from revolting.

In 2001, after 9-11, the U.S. led an invasion into Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban by siding with the Northern Alliance. The Northern Alliance, at the time, controlled the Northern part of the country and had been led by Ahmad Shah Massoud, who was assassinated shortly before 9-11. In the wake of the U.S. invasion, both Osama Bin Laden and Taliban fled into the tribal areas of Pakistan and have continued to fight. War continues in Afghanistan, with multiple players from many nations participating. In many ways, the Great Game in Afghanistan continues to this day.

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Original Technorati articles tagged “afghanistan”

• in Politics
  The West and Karzai on Different Pages
  Hamid Karzai and his foreign backers appear headed in opposite directions.
  by jamesgundun / on Nov 10, 2009
• in Politics
  Afghanistan Horizon: 30,000 Divisions
  Uncertainty is depleting President Obama's political support for escalation in Afghanistan.
  by jamesgundun / on Nov 7, 2009
• in Politics
  More U.S. Combat Soldiers in Afghanistan?
  U.S.Army Special Forces Counterinsurgency Efforts Continue Despite shortage on U.S. Green Beret Advisers in Afghanistan.
  by desperatelands / on Nov 3, 2009

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “afghanistan”

• Most don’t want escalation in Afghanistan

  
  Community.GJSentinel.com — Authority: 143
  When Barack Obama puts out the news about what is to happen in Afghanistan, it will be a shocker to most. Supposedly, six out of 10 Americans want more troops sent to do their thing with the military equipment we provide. Four out of 10 want all of the troops out, period.The third option is [...]
  1 hour ago

• DownRange

  
  The Republican Temple — Authority: 516
  U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.
  1 hour ago

• GLENN BECK TV THREAD! Friday, November 27, 2009

  
  Stupidica — Authority: 174
  Is the asshat in chief using the war in Afghanistan to redistribute the wealth? STAND UP AMERICA, GET OUT OF THE FETAL POSITION AND MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD. Welcome to the GLENN BECK television thread...Shake the cobwebs out of your brain...We are another day closer to the REVOLUTION that will change the 2010 ...
  2 hours ago

• Markos: We must avoid the Afghanistan trap

  
  Daily Kos — Authority: 806
  Markos joined Jack Rice on The Ed Show Wednesday afternoon to talk about the importance of avoiding the Afghanistan trap that so many others have fallen into, including the former Soviet Union. Heres video: Transcript:    SCHULTZ: Welcome back to THE ED SHOW.    President Obama is finally going ...
  2 hours ago

• You Get What you Vote For! by Cindy Sheehan

  
  Dandelion Salad — Authority: 541
  by Cindy SheehanFeatured WriterDandelion SaladCindy Sheehan’s Soapbox BlogCindy Sheehan’s SoapboxNov. 27, 2009The so-called anti-war movement currently finds itself in somewhat of a quagmire: What to do when the man you raised money for, volunteered for, and yes, even voted for, actually fulfills one of his most ...
  2 hours ago

• Taliban Propaganda Channel on YouTube: Mujahideen Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Jihad Against American Puppets, Zionist Intruders

  
  American Power — Authority: 704
  From Jawa Report, " The next time the Taliban kill an American, thank Googles YouTube service for helping spread their vile propaganda ." Yep, it turns out YouTube hosts a Taliban Mujahideen channel that publishes all kinds of videos documenting attacks on American forces in Afghanistan. One video, " Islamic ...
  3 hours ago

• Holbrooke: Taliban acceptable if they renounce al Qaeda

  
  Report on Arrakis — Authority: 603
  In an interview with Spiegel, special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, stated that the Obama administration is ready to invite taliban who renounce al Qaeda back in to Afghanistans social/political fold. There is a serious deficit of understand of what and who we are fighting. The taliban, al ...
  4 hours ago

• The Least You Could Do Is Tax Me for the War I Oppose

  
  Brave New Films blog — Authority: 128
  Note: Derrick Crowe is the Afghanistan blog fellow for Brave New Foundation / The Seminal . You can say no to escalation in Afghanistan by signing our CREDO petition at http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/saynotoescalation/ . For each signature, CREDO will donate a dollar to support Crowe’s work. I ...
  4 hours ago

• Thanks Giving

  
  Anna's Clue Tank — Authority: 104
  Lets be thankful we are not Iranian pro-democracy dissidents imprisoned hoping the US will save them. Lets be thankful we are not pro-Karzai forces hoping the US will stay the course. Lets be thankful we are neither Czech or Pole who depended upon the US to keep its word. Lets be thankful we have a President who ...
  4 hours ago

• What Are We Doing in Afghanistan?

  
  Diplopundit — Authority: 437
  Image via WikipediaI’ll tell you but it’s off the record … The Deputy Ambassador of US Embassy Kabul, Frank Ricciardone was apparently over at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University recently for an evening lecture titled, “What Are We Doing in Afghanistan?” He sat down ...
  4 hours ago

• The "But For" costs: Why we're broke

  
  Sabbah — Authority: 142
  By Jeff Gates * | Sabbah Report | www.sabbah.biz Why were broke Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OT5uw1Fb_0 3 trillion dollars down the drain Though brilliant in its simplicity and the ability to convey the scope and scale of this ongoing disaster, the presentation understates the ...
  4 hours ago

• Military News Update

  
  The Republican Temple — Authority: 516
  Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell says if President Obama decides to send more troops to Afghanistan it’s expected that NATO will do the same. A Pentagon spokesman says Defense Secretary Robert Gates is waiting like everyone else to see if President Obama will send more troops to Afghanistan. Deadlines are ...
  4 hours ago

• Approval of Obama on Afghan war dives

  
  War in Context — Authority: 502
  Approval of Obama on Afghan war divesBy Susan Page, USA Today, November 24, 2009Public approval of President Obama’s handling of the war in Afghanistan has plummeted, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, amid rising pessimism about the course of the conflict.The nation is divided over what to do next: Nearly half of those ...
  4 hours ago

• CNN Radio: Obamas Afghanistan announcement

  
  CNN Political Ticker — Authority: 843
  CNN Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley tells CNNs John Lisk some of what to expect as President Obama gets ready to make his Tuesday announcement on troop strength in Afghanistan.
  5 hours ago

• Why are we in Afghanistan?

  
  eLetters — Authority: 483
  Why are we in this place? We are embedded in a war where the leaders battle with each other in an effort to gain and remain in power. A divided country where the leaders purposefully fuel the war by pitting their side against the other through disdainful rhetoric and sadly too many people fall blindly in line. The ...
  5 hours ago

• Obama’s Muddle Path in Afghanistan

  
  Progressive News Daily — Authority: 162
  By Matthew Rothschild The Progressive Barack Obama is about to make a tragic blunder. By all accounts, he’s going to escalate the war in Afghanistan by sending about 30,000 more troops there. After all the months of deliberations, he’s decided to do what he usually does, which is to split the ...
  5 hours ago

• Is Obama Another General George B. McClellan?

  
  Opinionated Catholic — Authority: 446
  Well lets hope not. See Is Obamas dithering similar to that of Civil War general George B. McClellan?
  5 hours ago

• Europe backs Afghanistan strategy aimed at “regionalization”

  
  WHAT REALLY HAPPENED — Authority: 641
  The new strategy of "regionalization" is aimed at dividing Afghanistan into individual cantons—in a similar manner to what took place in Lebanon and the former Yugoslavia. Up to now the US-NATO occupation supported the government of Hamid Karzai and sold the process to the public as "democratization". However, ...
  5 hours ago

• Getting Up To Date On: Afghanistan

  
  Newshoggers.com — Authority: 644
  By Steve Hynd We hope all our American readers had a good Thanksgiving. But the news keeps rolling on despite holidays, so its time to play catch-up with foreign policy and affairs. Lets start with Afghanistan and the ongoing U.S.-led occupation there. With Obamas speech on his new Afghanistan strategy due on ...
  6 hours ago

• Soldiers continue long, winding road, re-enlist while in Iraq

  
  Canada Free Press — Authority: 166
  JOINT BASE BALAD - With economic stimulating programs in place and the chance to make lasting memories, several TF 38 Soldiers re-enlisted. “Bonus. There’s a bonus that’s available to traditional NG Soldiers who are in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait,” said Indiana NG Staff Sgt. Lee Ann Hiser, the TF 38 retention ...
  6 hours ago

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