Anthropology in Afghan Studies - Thomas Barfield

[@Karim-is7ew]

anyone else going around youtube watching Mr. Thomas Barfield talk about Afghanistan?

[@joshthegringo]

He's the only person I have found so far that can truly explain the nuances of Afghanistan from a western perspective.

[@emmalouisejay387]

Totally. Loving his lectures!

[@andycockrum1212]

Yes. This past week has been great

[@diotima6864]

Word

[@bangscutter]

Same here. There's so much depth in Afghanistan society that we don't know about. The media portrays a drastically simplified narrative which does not reflect actual reality.

[@MSMS-ug3zu]

Thank you so much for sharing this. I really like the way he speaks about the country with affection. "The regimes may come and go, but our village will be here." As we hear this scholar's words, almost all other foreign so-called experts' analyses of Afghanistan sound more superficial and void.

[@richardsimms251]

Excellent teaching video. Thank you. RS

[@arshaddurrani3885]

True.Being there and living with them with a clear focus on the objective is what truly makes a scholar.

[@stephen0793]

This is what anthropology in general brings to the table

[@massoudahmadi1127]

No one can explain better than you Mr professor about the Afghanistan history and ethnicitys. Great job and pure information.

[@hamedghulami4867]

I agree as an Afghan.

[@jonasmcrae2]

I can totally see this man spending the best years of his life with the nomads in northern Afghanistan... Sounds like a great place to be

[@xxxdieselyyy2]

Key word is NORTHERN... South and Central part of the country are Ghilji cesspits.

[@cowboybeboop9420]

"sounds like a great place to be"....................really? You think?

[@jacksonlamme]

This guy has a brilliant skill for conversational speaking.

[@truckersagainsttrafficking7550]

How have I not heard of this professor??? Best explanation of my homeland!

[@mytorabora30]

He's a lier, he steals other peoples stories and pretends;s from his research

[@andycockrum1212]

@@mytorabora30 the entire study of anthropology is taking other people’s stories and retelling them

[@PKandME]

@@mytorabora30 you truly got how science or research work fool

[@k.j.hulander2204]

Because policy makers only care about quantifiable research that can easily be modelled, even though qualitative studies have often been the best predictors or explainers of problems in the modern world, from financial crises to ethnic conflicts. Quantitative and qualitative analyses should be used together for the best possible result but there is resistance on both sides: quants don’t want to touch unscientific methods and qualitative researchers don’t want to participate in what they perceive to be positivist research.

[@christophereichten9005]

@@mytorabora30Be quiet you ignorant dog

[@notcool9817]

He really knows under the skin of Afghanistan thanks a lot

[@pathanreacts5244]

Hatam Mosi i am afghan and he know us 60 percent. Lol

[@JonROlsen]

The US CIA hire Anthropologists to get in and undermine a Government for takeover and theft of resources.

[@prowomanj2569]

@@JonROlsen True....I have wondered if Barfield might be CIA....They've done as much destruction as the military in Afghanistan. And the place is still crawling with CIA ops and snitches now.

[@memmy2717]

Afghan proverb: “A man can be powerful today. But can he be powerful for twenty years? He needs to think about that in the future for what he does now.” (@6:00)

[@jonathandufern7421]

Why him in 20 years? He’s a historian and teaches at university’s and is educated probably more than you. What’s your shame game about?

[@StonyRC]

@@jonathandufern7421 - It's not a "shame game" (whatever that means), he was just pointing out the WISDOM of that Afghan proverb (it was quoted during the clip - didn't you hear it?). They are very wise words that we in the West really ought to adopt!

[@jonathandufern7421]

@@StonyRC it just sounded like he was telling Thomas Barfield that he needs to “Think about that in the future for what he does now”. To me reading that it sounded negative and like the person has something against Thomas.

[@HansBaier]

"Begin with the end in mind" Stephen R. Covy would say.

[@dinayusuf8858]

This is very true, Afghans don't think themselves as inferior to others rather equal or superior. And very proud people as well! 🇦🇫❤️

[@Barca4Life777]

thinking yourself as superior to others isn't something to be proud tho lol

[@suchislife7155]

Im Afghan Pashtun and I’m sorry my fellow Afghan but I disagree with you. I think Afghans humble and generous people at the same we treat everyone equal weather your a king or homeless. Weather your superpower or not. It doesn’t make a difference to us. There are some minority ethnicity that think they are superior.

[@ajay-naz6996]

@@suchislife7155 really?? Afghan Pashtun are the most racist and nationalist who always think they are superior to others, and definitely not kind, just look at the Taliban for instance, they are pure Pashtuns and the real face of Pashtuns

[@hinzuzufugen7358]

In Germany, we've mandatory language courses for virtually all immigrants receiving welfare... Afghans belong to the most unreceptive groups. Regular attendance, punctuality, diligence in those affairs evade most, by far. Yeah, sure, most never went to school. But there's more to it. Therefore I'm interested. We need anthropological insight.

[@نادرالیراحمان]

Meanwhile our country the elites are forcing English and Westernization upon us.

[@JonROlsen]

US CIA use the study of Anthropology to undermine States.

[@JonROlsen]

@@نادرالیراحمان Which country?

[@JonROlsen]

@Varoon Might be hard to integrate to a Country that had a hand in the destruction of yours.

[@InFaredTurtles]

@@نادرالیراحمان our country? your pakistani

[@jonathandufern7421]

I like him. I study history and he’s fresh and open

[@venicebeachsportsnetwork6677]

This guy knows what he's talking about

[@imranarman6563]

Dr.Thomas Barfield Thanks 🙏

[@davidglenchynoweth4902]

Thank You for this Thomas Barfied.

[@ancientperson2703]

Love all these talks you give

[@liaqatalihassanzadah4671]

One of the reasons that local elders intervene to solve their local problems is the absence of formal governance, not the rejection of government that is meant to provide protection. If formal government existed, services and property rights were given, justice and rule of law correctly implemented, would people still have not wanted formal government? Tribalisation of villages and rural Afghanistan from on the one hand is a hindrance to the expansion of formal governance and an alternative in the absence of formal governance. Just to remember that the governance system in Afghanistan as a whole has been based on tribalism, dominated by Pashtun. Pashtuns throughout modern Afghanistan history has been at war both with themselves and with other ethnics to rule the country.

[@ThePhoenix109]

Oh shut up

[@QBaniFam]

@@ThePhoenix109 truth really is bitter eh 😂 evidently hard to swallow

[@ZubairAhmed-od2xv]

The word Afghan is synonymous to Pashtun . You need to dig futher , pre Durand line and the Viceroy of India Mountbatten .

[@suchislife7155]

Liaqat ali ... hazara spotted! Your the minority but still very unfriendly to Pashtuns. All hazara are like that I dunno why. We all from same country. We should love and respect instead of disunity and propaganda.

[@dgib1694]

When M. Barfield says Afghans are not influenced by ideologies, he means Westerns ideologies perhaps. But what about Islam and its different currents and sects? It seems to have a strong influence on large areas of the country.

[@Globalscanningeyes]

He did a lecture on that kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXeWg56qaZeqhrs

[@jonathandufern7421]

Depends, the Pushtans are strict and make up the Taliban but they are not a majority. There are som Christians, Buddhists, and even a tiny Jewish community in Afghanistan too. Most interesting is Islam in a peaceful religion hijacked by The Islamic State and the Taliban. It’s Tribalism and not religion. In the Koran it never says to do many things that they do. Most of these people are illiterate and just following what some guy says to do that’s not even under Islamic Law. It’s sad. Hopefully Taliban 2.0 listens to its more open Islamic nations and doesn’t repeat the 90s

[@YodasPapa]

You should watch the lecture Kashiff Khan linked. Barfield basically says because Afghans have been so illiterate, they don't actually refer to the Qu'ran and instead have folk traditions that they call "islam" but are really only partially Islamic and are also influenced Zoroastrianism and more. Fundamentally Afghans believe that they are the best Muslims and that whatever they do is the best form of Islam, and are therefore more pragmatic than ideological.

[@suchislife7155]

Jonathan I agree with you mate. Well isis was made by who? The west and small hats. In Islamic Hadith which our prophet Mohammed (saw) said their will a false black Islamic banner pretending to be Muslim but they are not. This will happen before the real Islamic banner appears. Everyone should ask themselves why all Muslim countries are bad? At war? Oppressed? As Biden says “come on man!” There is big propaganda to defame Islam and their followers. Allah has mentioned “ double check the facts before passing information to another “ We people don’t do that . Who owns media, central bank, reserve bank, fda , media ?? There is a big game is played with bigger picture for decades. Look up hadiths of prophet Mohammed even if you hate Islam. Hadith means prediction. Just think of it as another book or KZbin history channel. We need to educate ourselves and learn about each other so we know what governments are up to. Forget about the race, colour and what part of the world we born. We all brothers and sisters and from the same tree different branches. People should open their mind and heart. There is so much hatred in the world. Why ? Before it was less than this. Everyone chasing money and no time to stop and think. How often anyone looks up to the sky for more than 5 seconds ?? Not to check if it’s cloudy or sunny day lol But to see up there is more bigger, deeper but instead our head tilted down on this earth after worldly stuff as if we all going to live for another 100 years. Life will go so quick before you know it. Life is a test.

[@jonathandufern7421]

@@suchislife7155 great comment

[@hussainnoor7706]

thts how expertties is in any field......passion v.impressive

[@manizhakakar9061]

Yeh but they don't use these people, they use drama people.

[@s7rz]

I really love how he see things!

[@Pausey]

This inspired me to know more.

[@gQuaresma07]

I used to think my region of the middle east is the most complex, but in reality it is the Afghans who are far more complex! every village has its own identity, like holy shit.!

[@TheAfghan72]

Greek From Arabia Not really true, we have tons of ethnic groups like any other country does. Pashtuns (who make up 65% of the country) are the most dominant and recognizable group in the country and then you have the Persian speaking Tajiks who make up about 15% and then Hazara's who are 8% and descend from Mongols. Other minority groups are Uzbeks, Turkmen's, Nuristani's etc. But all those aforementioned are not native to the region like Pashtuns are and it is the Pashtuns who live in a tribal society.

[@massoudahmadi1127]

@@TheAfghan72 please don't lie. There is no 65% Pashtuns. Pashtuns are about 39% percent.

[@TheAfghan72]

@@massoudahmadi1127 I am not lying, go and do your research.

[@najishah2.060]

@@massoudahmadi1127 That's too generous. 25% percent is more accurate.

[@ASD-v3b1z]

Great insight and spot on about the afghans

[@hussainnoor7706]

i like the passion with the knowlege its really itresting to listn

[@soleikam6662]

They heard him in DC and created an anthropological weapon with it. Thank you!

[@odilbekb-sarkaev1052]

Positive and fair description.

[@nebojsag.5871]

"The government exists to prevent highway banditry and blood-feuds, while local communities sort out everytthing else" seems to be the default state of agrarian and pastoralist communities throughout time and space.

[@StonyRC]

Clearly a VERY interesting and intelligent Professor. Why aren't we in the West listening to men like Thomas Barfield rather than politicians and generals?

[@JonROlsen]

US CIA study Anthropology to learn how to undermine the government and install a new one.

[@majortom6382]

@@JonROlsen ...and look at where that got them...LOL...

[@JonROlsen]

@@majortom6382 It got them what they wanted. A few people and Institutions in the DC area reaped enormous riches and the US created chaos, destruction and instability in that stategic place on the globe. Since the US has nothing to offer the World anymore and can't compete, if it can't, out and out, take over and steal the resources of the people, it creates chaos and instability rendering the region useless for any other country to benefit from. That's how the US stays on top. "We're #1!"

[@gothenmosph5151]

@@JonROlsen the US leads quite well in most industries

[@danboquist]

Reminds me of the rural south.. the Law is something that rides around in a police car.

[@aramhalamech4204]

rural south: Not much law around here. Montana: What's law?

[@nkzvlog4341]

This was amazing

[@cheemantavedantam5036]

Lot of insight.

[@omtschand3432]

amazing

[@alexanderflores8235]

Crazy how the US occupation can be summed up by a literal proverb, 6:00

[@JR-mi8ry]

Interesting

[@AliHaider-vr7qb]

Nice 👍

[@unitedstatesdale]

06:15 Afgan American Russian Taliban. Interesting

[@The1WhoCares]

Mark Ham ?

[@ysl3594]

Here after watching Fall of Kabul

[@kwandakwethundoda1050]

Only a western mind would even find this a question to have...

[@Pandemonius88]

Exactly

[@JonathanXLindqviust]

Insane that they never listened to this.

[@ZubairAhmed-od2xv]

Pakhtunwali , the Afghans (Pashtuns) ancient code of ethics , that predates their conversion to Islam..

[@ravissary79]

Wait so Afghanis are DIFFERENT than others in they "like to take care of themselves"? So anyone who's not a statist sycophant is an Afghani? Why does this need to he explained?

[@AhadAlex]

It's the state that needs this explanation. Governments, be it the US, Russian/Soviet, or even Afghan, tend to forget these things and think that everyone else sees the world the way they do.

[@ravissary79]

@@AhadAlex exactly. Well said. I am an American, but I only proud of my government in as much as it does what it was designed to do.. Which it hasn't in a LONG TIME.

[@shahriarbader5505]

@@AhadAlex Not true friend. They know what folk want, but like to bully them and get their way. It worked for a few hundred years. After all the European renaissance was one hell of an achievement. But not a final point. The rest of the world did not lie down in admiration. etc, etc

[@Raees720]

I want email of Sir Thomas Barifield.

[@abdullahwahidi1117]

Just one question... Why hazaras living in remote mountainous region.. # history of zabulistan...2nd to 6th centry history... Why hazras r pushed from their land to mountainous area... 1Ghaznavid invasion 2safavid invasion 3cliphate invasion 4Abbasid invasion 5Pashtoons or eastern iranian invasion of hazarajaat... 6Taliban invasion

[@amehnn]

Abdullah Wahidi hazaras are mongols.

[@joimy95]

Hazara the sons of mongols who butchered and killed milions belong there and no land in Afghanistan is their native land.

[@abdullahwahidi1117]

Hazaras are native people of afghanistan pashtoons or jews came Afghanistan after fall of Babylonian empire by persian king cyrus or koorosh at that time bamiyan was kingdom of budhist monk ...as worlds know budhist are peace ful people so pashtoons settle here very easily in 7 centry alongside with remaining peoples or soldiers of Alexander. After few centries pashtoons jews acceptin islam and then invasions was starts till today...pashtoon jews using islam to make another babylonian like empire with their brother israel....

[@abdullahwahidi1117]

@@joimy95 search pashtoons after fall of jew babylonian empire by persian king kooroosh or cyrus...

[@joimy95]

@@abdullahwahidi1117 nothing what you say makes any sense.

[@mukhumor]

Yeah, it's called Pashtunwali. Crime is lower in Pashtunwali territory. Women are very private. Consanguinity is common. A turban is considered a symbol of a Pashtun's chivalry. The Taliban are a Pashtun dominant class.

[@nikolai502]

Why do americans prefer to take care of themselves?

[@jackstratif6937]

Jeez went to afghanistan in 1971, how old is this freaking guy?? Looks like he’s in his 40s, but must not be lol.

[@inferno0020]

6:19 wait, are you talking about ex-President Ghani?

[@vintageradioman]

Please do your own research about the so called Israeli art students during 9/11

[@medrissarwary464]

We don't have nationale identity- afghan refer juste to pashton people and they make maybe 35 percent of population of Greater Khorasan/Afghanistan

[@simonroh4958]

How come the military hasn't hired experts like him to help win the war?

[@mahmudshiil135]

Because the purpose was not to win it but prolonging it to benefit mega arms industry.. imagine 80 billion for equipment of Afghan army that lost all territories in 2 weeks, America wants wars in middle east and Africa to continue to sell arms. It is that simple but US citizens don't understand coz they listen to what their politicians tell them.

[@simonroh4958]

@@mahmudshiil135 the purpose was to eliminate both the taliban and AQ

[@mahmudshiil135]

@@simonroh4958 never was don't tell lies, did they eliminate them, Al Qaeda is upgraded to ISIS and Taliban are more steonger than ever, US got defeated in everything except money made from Drug trafficking and Selling arms.

[@simonroh4958]

@@mahmudshiil135 well isis had been largely decimated, all that remains are cells

[@mahmudshiil135]

@@simonroh4958 why did those cells kill 13 US troops in this week, they were only in Iraq & Syria but now they are universal killing even the taliban and other Qaeda groups, problem with you guys is you create a mess in other countries and the world, then try to down play it like your politicians did in Afghanistan and look what happened. I think real problem is they have so dump citizens in US who is all about entertainment and Fun so they can tell them what ever they want and they will believe them. Isis or terror groups don't need territory they function with hit and run tactics and suicide attacks. So tell me smart guy what did US do with so called war on terror if their soldiers and being killed and they still run away from Afghanistan defeated after Taliban told them no time extension enjoying their equipment.

[@mymunaraha6270]

6.05

[@abdulsepas7209]

I think you escape from reality when you mentioned ethnicity why didn't give us more information about each ethnicity especially the tajik.today Tajik is the children of eastern Iranian like Parthia or Scythian they are not coming from sky please give your lecture based on the history of people who they live there over the course of history neither turk or other ousder role Afghanistan look back from british.former Soviet Union and the NATO if they run Afghanistan then I accept, Alexander the great,or Turk runs but you are wrong .

[@TheAfghan72]

Tajiks are mixed, they are not descendants of Schtytians.

[@shahbanunilofartajik]

Indeed I agree with your point. I have come to notice the same thing that even western scholars try to ignore or minimize the significance of Tajik nation. Thank you for your comment, we need to decolonize our history and give our own narrative.

[@haythamaljaru8264]

@@shahbanunilofartajik Tajiks are victims of Russian colonisation and oppression. They're more Slavic than Aryan. You should thank God that we Afghans protected you lot from the same fate. But you bite our hand.

[@tajik2595]

Haytham Al Jaru stop spreading lies you pashtun . TAJIKS are Aryans- Khorasani the original people of afg

[@nurlybekz9762]

@@haythamaljaru8264 Your are living in shithole and tryin to judge others, who you no little or less))

[@CIARUNSITE]

No guns and no cops. 1971 Afghanistan sounds like a utopia.

[@00billharris]

If you say that Anthropology studies 'culture', then during times of war would it not be true that 'war culture' becomes more important than 'ethnos'? For example, the massive refugee crisis in cities. Oscar Lewis wrote that the problem with Anthropology (circa 1960) was its inability to conceptualize trans-cultural Theory; his osstensible solution was 'The Culture of Poverty'... So after listening to Berfield's interesting descriptions, I'm afraid the problem still persists. To this end, it would seem as if Afghan Culture has been rendered meaningless by the ethnocidal consequences of war.

[@juglanscinerea]

Who doesn't like taking care of themselves? Women?

[@suchislife7155]

Not really . Women are gorgeous and very decent and looks after their man. They will never let you go once married. Don’t listen to news propaganda. Men and women are equal.

[@visualjottings5626]

Think about now Afghanistan...😞🙄

[@Muddyorphan1812]

luke i am your father!!!!! its mark hamill!!

[@asdmiestahuknown590]

he is describing afghans as Nomads !, clearly he have not studied Afghanistan and his views are Selective bias. he might be angel sent from heaven but the science has to be authentic, causative, and non bias. Thank you.

[@enaiatalizadeh4620]

Now Covic19

[@Farah4AFG]

Enaiat Alizadeh no they are not! They are immigrants from magnolia who came with ganges khan killing thousands of innocent people!

[@Farah4AFG]

Enaiat Alizadeh send them back to Magnolia!! Historic and actual fact! Are u saying that history is wrong and hazara didn’t come from magnolia but Hazaristan which never existed!! Lord help me here with ignorants people!! Fact Tajik came from Tajikistan and Uzbek from Uzbekistan !! Does the name makes it clear!! Similarly pashtoon are afghans ! Afghan means pashtoon! Whts ur problem with that!!!

[@somedude6683]

The very first known civilized settlement in the land today part of Afghanistan was from 3500 BCE, near the border with todays Pakistan, as the westernmost extent of the Harrapan. That's more than 5500 years ago. The Hazara are decends of Çengiz Khân, founder of the Golden Horde which was in the period of the 13th century(800 years ago).

[@waveymane]

That is weird, since Afghanistan means ”the land of the pashtuns” en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_(ethnonym) It is also strange since Pashtuns are the majority amongst the ethnic groups (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Afghanistan)

[@somedude6683]

@@waveymane Yes, Pashtoons are native to Afghanistan. But so are Tajiks, Üzbeks, Hazaras, Türkmen, Baluch and others. However, the Brahui people of Afghanistan are descendants of the indigenous ancient Harappan people. The Harappan people were the first to inhabit Afghanistan. So, technically the Brahui are the only true indigenous people of Afghanistan. All others came after. By the way, pashtoon is not the majority, since Afghanistan has no majority ethnic group. According to the very last national population census that was done more than 40 years ago, pashtoons are 40% of the entire population of Afghanistan. In order to be majority, pashtoons would have to be at least 51%, which they are not. Pashtoon is however the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan.

[@xxxdieselyyy2]

They want someone else to take care of them but on their own terms 😆

[@eschewobfuscation.]

And you, the channel, since when is people’s right to govern themselves a matter of scientific realism? Can you not find a less insulting question? So, does the same question apply to France, or USA? Are you as astonished that they too love to govern themselves?

[@mouloudadjroud716]

ادرس الانثروبولوجيا و اجتهد عليها في أمريكا اولا ثم انتقل الى دراستها في أفغانستان، تعرف ان علم الثقافة مقرون بتاريخ الأوطان ام لا، و هل انتم الأمريكيين لكم تاريخ ضارب في الاعماق مثل أفغانستان...

[@kahlidmohamed3741]

At least give Afghans credit for defeating British 3× Soviet n now usa.

[@BactrianNomad]

😂😂😂

[@tmmmohseni2560]

But all of those countries are prosperous and powerful but AFG is so poor and weak. It just means AFG people are stubborn and hear headed so that’s why no progress for the last century

[@graemecurran1638]

Ww

[@shamimgul2708]

The narrator have no knowledge of Pashtun majority who ruled Afghanistan for centuries, the Tajiks, Hazaras, and other ethnic groups they migrated during Balshwick revolution in soviets union. Pashtuns always ruled the country’s,. It is Pashtuns generosity to let them settled in Afghanistan, American took the advantage of minorities and Pakistan help them to enter Afghanistan, Pashtuns will never be defeated, Tajik, Hazaraz will sell their sisters to any invaders who can feed them, but wait, you may the watch but we have the time..

[@ThePhoenix109]

Haha lies

[@ThePhoenix109]

Tajiks were always in that region. Its actually pashtu tribes that moved westwards to herat and kabul and so on.

[@Che18335]

You are both racist and the reason or country is at war. But the facts are both groups are native to the region and these are historical and genetical facts.

[@kha_2428]

You must be absolutely ignorant of any history of Herat, Balkh, Mazar, Ghazni and Kabul if you think that these regions were nothing but ruled by farsi speakers and controlled for the better part of 2000 years. Pashtuns are from the pakistani regions. Only a small geographic region of modern day afghanistan is actually part of the pashtunistan area. Most pashtuns are pakistani geographically and now as identity too.

[@kha_2428]

Most Pashtuns are Pakistani and ruled by Punjabis

[@sultanh.j.9204]

Balochis and Pashtuns are Indian Some Tajiks, Uzbek, Hazara are Chinese and some white

[@TheAfghan72]

Pashtuns are not Indian.

[@quiasnoorzad]

G Gbro indian??! No bro

[@mohamadamin852]

You don't know shit bro

[@pings007]

Tajiks, uzbek, hazara aren't chinese

[@LeoniDAS643]

maybe you should do more research before publicly making a fool of yourself.

[@crawfordsmith3700]

If you wrote a genuinely authoritative anthropological-socio-semi-Ialamic account of Afghanistan , you would be dead in about three months or less.

[@charlesmartin1121]

As far as I am concerned Afghanistan can go straight to hell. Even the most enlightened approach would have failed there if led by outsiders. The late historian John Keegan had it right in 2001 when he said short term punitive raids can succeed in Afghanistan, long term occupation (even if done with the best intentions) will invariably fail.

[@nobodynoone2500]

I'm not sure "short term punitive raids" are acceptable ways to interact with our fellow humans.

[@charlesmartin1121]

@@nobodynoone2500 In terms of what I have learned of Afghanistan, it seems to me the only sensible pathway available to foreign forces or governments is to transact whatever precise business you may have and then depart. I don’t see that assessment as hard-hearted so much as realistic, and it does not apply to interactions with other countries. But you are obviously free to disagree.

[@CountingStars333]

Afghanistan is a blip in history.

[@nobodynoone2500]

Their government may be a blip, but Afghanistan has enormous history older than most.

[@Ddireland]

A bigger blip than USofA sweetum