Hi Antibol,
......-but this is afghanistan---the graveyard of foreign armies. Rules of engagements are different.
Dear Mastan,
Afghanistan is primarily a graveyard of poor Afghans. Millions have lost everything and hundreds and thousands have given the ultimate by losing their life.
This is no time for empty bravado. Afghans utterly lack introspection, and that's why they are being penetrated by every foreign army possible.
I could start for a few centuries back, but allow me to talk about the recent past.
Afghans boast that they defeated Commie Ruskies. Well that may be partially true for the period of 1979-1985, and then from 1986-1989.
What happened between 1985 and 1986 is that Afghans conveniently ignore. Before I add more info for the two years, it is better to see the difference in Commie tactics before 1985 and after that year.
Before 1985, Commies brought in mostly Muslim troops from CIS in large numbers and subjected them to long convoys snaking through hilly highways of Afghanistan. The result was disastrous for the poorly trained CIS conscripts. Commies were committing a classic mistake in a mountainous region by slow-moving long convoys. These were easy picks for the rag-tag militia.
However 1985 saw the change in Soviet tactics. This time they deployed elite air-cavalry and virtually wiped out the Afghan resistance.
Finally the helicopter-borne forces have countered the natural defenses of Afghanistan. Air power in fact turned the Afghan mountain advantage to an utter disadvantage. When Ruskie elite troops pummeled a small Afghan group in one valley, the next valley was helpless to come help their Jihadi brethren.
Ruskie air cavalry was only countered when ISI, and CIA came up with effective counter measures.
Still the Ruskie losses were minimal (less than 15,000) in the 10 year long war.
Americans have learned from this and that's why we haven't see long American convoys snaking through Afghan hills. Americans are using air cavalry and Taliban are having difficult time to repeat their performance against Ruskies.
Sure Afghanistan will not be a peaceful place. But that's bad for Afghanis themselves. They will remain pathetic tribals with daily whooping by every Dick, Tom, and Harry.
You Sir however will continue singing that mythical songs about equally mythical Afghan bravery. The brave Afghans who just got conquered by a small 16,000 strong American troops.