AFGHANISTAN

Per my latest project, this will be the first entry of hundreds regarding a current nation state. Each blog entry will dive into the notable history of the area, the people, and the timeline for the official statehood of the country being discussed. If any country peaks your interest, I will try to link a couple of resources for anyone interested to do a deeper dive. Now, onto our first nation, the current Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Everyone in the western world and Russia are aware of Afghanistan. Due to the country being constantly at war since the late 1970s, Afghanistan has been the headquarters of imperial activity due to its centralized location and plentiful natural resources. Afghanistan is known for its agricultural and mining economy with many key elements needed for our present-day technological world that can be found deep in the Hindu Kush mountain range that litters the north and northeastern section of the country. Due to its incredibly inhospitable terrain, Afghanistan has gotten the nickname, “The Graveyard of Empires.” Going back to antiquity, the Sikhs and the Safavids of Persia were repelled by the Afghani tribes. The only two imperial entities to capture Afghanistan are two of the most famous historical figures, Alexander the Great and the Mongols ruled by Genghis Khan. After the Mongol Empire broke apart into four regions, Afghanistan became part of the Chagatai Khanate but quickly rebelled against their new overlords. The Khanate was gone by the mid-14th Century. Alexander took the region known as Bactria back in 327 BC during a brutal campaign and faced increased resistance during the Greek rule there. The Greco-Bastrian Kingdom lasted over 200 years before collapsing around 120 BC. In recent times, the British were kicked out of the country once and for all in 1919 followed by the Soviets in 1989 and finally, the United States in 2021. Afghanistan can be conquered as each of these nations can attest. The problem which even Alexander the Great understood is the difficulty of hanging onto this desolate region. Eventually, the local tribes do succeed over time.

A few key events that have occurred in Afghan history. Afghanistan does not have a dominant tribe that rules the nation. Even though the nation is 99% Islamic, the Pashtun tribe is the largest minority representing about 40% of the population. The Tajiks (Who will be discussed later) and the Hazara are also well represented. Before the Islamic religion became prominent in the region during the 7th Century, Afghanistan due to its decentralization and local tribal communities had dozens of ancient religions such as Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, other ancient Iranian religions, and Hinduism as just a few examples of the diverse amount of beliefs that populated the countryside.  The capture of Afghanistan by the Muslims took 400 years when Mahmud of Ghanzi eliminated the last remaining Hindus and essentially Islamized the country permanently and became the first Sultan. After Mahmud, Afghanistan had a few short-lived empires during the medieval era. The most famous was the Timurid Empire established in the late 14th Century after the Mongols were repelled. Under this empire, there was a Timurid Renaissance which became the hub for arts and science inside the Islamic world from the 14th to 16th Century. The Timurid Renaissance is considered one of the Golden Ages of Islamic thought and invention and is often compared to the Italian Renaissance for its importance.

Probably the most famous export of Afghanistan are Afghan rugs. Going back to the time before Christ, the people of the region took pride in their incredibly well-designed and handcrafted rugs. Here is a summary of their history.

Afghan rugs have a very long history, with their roots in the hand-woven traditions of Central Asian nomadic tribes dating back over 2,000 years. Developed by the Bactrian and Sogdian people that were native to this region, these ancient, handcrafted textiles evolved over centuries and began being exported to other parts of the world beginning around the 1600s. 

• Export Era: The rugs became recognized internationally by the 1600s for their, Nomads Loom notes, intricate designs and vibrant colors.
• Modern Era: While traditional weaving continued, modern variations like "war rugs" appeared in the late 20th century, specifically after the 1979 Soviet invasion.

There is a debate on when Afghanistan officially became a nation state. Currently, the nation has over 36 million people. Its capital is Kabul. The local currency is called the Afghani. The most common language is spoken by the Pashtun people, Pashto. In 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani established the Durrani Empire. This is often considered the precursor to the present-day borders of the Afghan State. The Durrani Empire lasted almost one hundred years till it fell to the Barakzai Dynasty and eventually, to the British. The “official Western” recognition of Afghanistan occurred with the Treaty of Rawalpindi which formed the country on August 8, 1919, while also signing a treaty of friendship with the new Bolshevik regime in Russia (Which they would violate sixty years later). From the time of independence to its present-day war era and capture by the Taliban, Afghanistan balanced the religious zealotry of the Pashtuns to create a functional economic power. But as Islamic law encroached on the leadership, the reigning Prime Minister Daud Khan in the 1950s turned to the Soviets for economic support. This action began the nation’s gradual decline into the dysfunctional tribal emirate that it is presently.

I hope you enjoyed this short summary about the complex nation of Afghanistan. I intend to do these posts in an alternating alphabetic order. Next, will be the last country alphabetically, Zimbabwe before we jump back into the “A’s.”

Here are a few resources if you want to learn more about this country including its most famous novel.
THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini.

Historically, there are a few fascinating books.
Amazon.com: Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present, Expanded and Updated Edition: 9781789145885: Lee, Jonathan L.: Books
Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History, Second Edition: Barfield, Thomas J.: 9780691238562: Amazon.com: Books


And of course, Western involvement in the country
Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001: Coll, Steve: 9780143034667: Amazon.com: Books
Games without Rules: The Often-Interrupted History of Afghanistan: Ansary, Tamim: 9781610393195: Amazon.com: Books