Afghanistan: It’s 1842 All Over Again

KABUL - Afghanistan - You would think us Brits would have learned a thing or two from the first Afghan war fought from 1839-1842.

'Remnants of an Army' by Elizabeth Butler portraying William Brydon arriving at the gates of Jalalabad as the only survivor of a 16,500 strong evacuation from Kabul in January 1842

“You just can’t win against these buggers. If they’re not shooting at foreigners, they’re shooting at themselves. It’s in their blood. Don’t forget about the terrain as well, it’s a situation where certain defeat is guaranteed. Our commanders have been foolish with being suckered into this invasion again, look what happened to the Russkies? We did not learn in Iraq either,” Sir John MacFraser told an MOD hearing into the state of the conflict on Friday.

During the retreat from Kabul in 1842, the British retreating troops were massacred at the Gandamak pass. They had left Kabul with 16,500 men, but only managed to reach Jalalabad with less than 40 men. One of the only surviving members, Dr. William Brydon, an assistant surgeon in the British East India Company was hailed as the only European to have survived the massacre.

They just never learn

It seems the futility of the second Afghan campaign has still not been absorbed by the egotistical and foolish hierarchy who have no understanding of history or of indigenous peoples.

“The stupid morons who ordered British troops into Afghanistan are simply doing this for their egos and nothing else. There is nothing to gain in this campaign and they will just pass the buck onto the next administration who will probably carry on with it. Foolish pride has thus far not solved anything in the rugged terrains and cold mountain passes of Afghanistan, where the Brits are sitting ducks to the huge IED’s and ambushes. The only way we can win this war is if we nuke the whole of Afghanistan and start again, or kill every man, woman and child one by one. That’s not going to happen is it?” Sir John MacFraser added.