Afghanistan: The Great Game

[Grandad]

I have just watched on the BBC iplayer 2 one hour programmes about the history of western involvement and conflicts in Afghanistan over the last 200 years. (It was broadcast on Monday and Wednesday of this week at 9pm on BBC 2.)

The programmes were written and presented by Rory Stewart, the young academic and arabic speaker who had a senior position in Iraq and then became an MP in 2002. A likeable chap who often appears on BBC Newsnight.

I found these programmes fascinating and certainly filled in a lot of blanks in my knowledge, or lack of knowledge, about the history of conflict in Afghanistan. I would strongly recommend anyone who did not see them to do so before they become unavailable on the iplayer.

[Ruby Slippers]

Thanks for the reminder, Grandad! I meant to catch up with these on iplayer but had forgotten.

[Grandad]

Just to correct a typo, I think Rory became an MP in 2010 not 2002

[Horus]

Thanks for the reminder Grandad, I am always amazed that given the history of Afganistan that our politicians can be so stupid, Rudyard Kipling was writing this over 100 years ago! so what's changed?

"When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier.
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
So-oldier of the Queen! "

Excerpt taken from his poem " The Young British Soldier"

If we really want to tackle terrorism then get a grip of our leaking borders, tell the EU to bugger off with their free movement of EU members. With all the billions we spend it fighting them on their own terms, we could employ another 10,000 immigration and passport control officers and employ the most up to date technology and scrutiny of anyone crossing our borders.

[Ruby Slippers]

Grandad, thanks again for the reminder. I've just finished watching both episodes and found them both extremely interesting and informative. I was surprised at the amount of honesty from various former politicians, weren't you?

[Ruby Slippers]

In further interest to the two programmes I Googled the presenter - Rory Stewart. A fascinating young man with a very full life behind him already! I can't help thinking that with young men such as him and Simon Reeve etc. that our world won't be such a bad place after all!

[LovelyLadyLux]

Are you watching this on your TV? Any chance I'd be able to see this on my computer?