War in Afghanistan: a short history of 80 wars and conflicts in Afghanistan and the North-West Frontier 1839 to 2011

摘要

For millennia, great armies have marched through Afghanistan in search of conquest and strategic advantage. None of them has found it easy going. A resilient local population, often bouncing back from initial defeat, has typically taken advantage of the harsh terrain to resist the invaders with tenacity, skill and great ruthlessness. When not fighting the armies of invaders, such as Alexander, the Moguls or the British Empire, this same population would often make war on itself. With such a long history of invasion and internecine conflict, the region is undoubtedly one of the more turbulent parts of the world.