We have learned that dead totalitarians can't oppress the people.

Alexander----Chingiz Khan----Timur-----Babur-----the Brits-----Russians---Taliban (de facto Pakis)---- and now Americans---- have arrived in Afghanistan. What is the lesson from this history of 2000 years? ....Er Kandahar has really great Restraunts and a thriving Nightlife???? ....Theres Gold in them there hills? ....They're REALLY easy to defeat???

"What is the lesson from this history of 2000 years?" That's there's nothing there worth staying for.

Actually wasn't Babur fairly successful? He got through to India which was what he really wanted.

Major difference -- the US is not there to take over Afghanistan and occupy it as a colony or claimed land, unlike the others you mentioned. The comparison is thus not very valid. NewGuy

Actually very few have been out to conquer Afghanistan per se. Usually the main reason is to get through to richer area, prevent a rival doing so, or as in our case hunt down an enemy. Nobody once Afghanistan for itself.

What we learn from this is that afghanistan is most often a crossroads; it is invaded because it is "on the way" to the real objectives like india or the middle east. The americans are there for a totally different reason: a deliberate and devastating attack on their nation. There is very little, if any historical precedent for this kind of action against civilians making it difficult to learn from history.

"Alexander----Chingiz Khan----Timur-----Babur-----the Brits-----Russians---Taliban (de facto Pakis)---- and now Americans---- have arrived in Afghanistan. What is the lesson from this history of 2000 years?" That it's about time somebody finished the job.