Afghanistan

Afghanistan has always been a trouble spot because of geography. It stands right at the crossroads between East and West, and as such, it has always been an area that has been battled for by various people, from Alexander the Great through to today. The area has both Western and Eastern cultural antecedents and the area's main political organization is the tribe. This is not a centrally organized society, it is organized from the bottom up. Conquering powers have consistently sought to domesticate this mountainous corner of the world, yet all have always left with their tails caught between their legs. Given this history, it is astonishing that we continue to commit US forces to the region in an apparent nation-building effort. Sure, we can continue to bomb Afghan villages, hunt al-Qaeda out in the provinces, build huge elaborate military bases and send drones to drop bombs on Pakistan, but it won't halt the attacks by Islamic militants. Terrorists and insurgent groups are no... Read more

Throughout history, as far back as Alexander the Great, invaders have been very successful nation-building in this area. (chortle!)