Habibullah Kalakani is a character from Afghan history whose life reads like an adventure film. Spanning the roles of bandit, soldier, rebel and finally king, his impact on Afghan history is undeniable, even though he is sometimes dismissed as a side note or aberration. Born in the 1890s in a rural Tajik village north of … Continue reading Habibullah Kalakani – The Bandit King
The Bizarre Story of General William Walker
The word “filibuster” case come to mean a political delaying tactic, using long winded speeches to cause a piece of legislation to fail to pass. But the origins of the term are much darker, as is the history of the most famous of the filibusters, William Walker. The English word comes from the Spanish filibustero, … Continue reading The Bizarre Story of General William Walker
Afghanistan’s Bandit Tradition
While decades of conflict have created a degree of anarchy and lawlessness across Afghanistan, within Afghan culture there have long been romanticized portrayals of bandits that continue to the present day. Pashtun culture in particular is highly egalitarian, with strongly pronounced streaks of both individualism and justice. The ideal Pashtun male is someone who is … Continue reading Afghanistan’s Bandit Tradition
Queen Soraya: Afghanistan’s First Feminist
Afghanistan and feminism aren’t often thought of together, unless using the country as an example of one of the worst places in the world for women to live. But buried in Afghan history there is a women who deserves to be lauded as one of the world’s early feminists. Her name is Soraya Tarzi, and … Continue reading Queen Soraya: Afghanistan’s First Feminist
Traces of Alexander the Great
Afghanistan has suffered from many invasions over the millennia, but perhaps the most famous of them all is that of Alexander the Great and his armies. I was familiar with this episode in history before I first visited Afghanistan, though my knowledge grew as I walked the ground. Something I began to wonder, however, was … Continue reading Traces of Alexander the Great
Red Group – The Taliban “Special Forces”
The public perception of the war in Afghanistan is dominated by the image of Special Forces soldiers, although they are a small part of the international military effort in the country. Numerous western films, some based on real events, have contributed to this idea. It is small wonder, then, that the Taliban have themselves worked … Continue reading Red Group – The Taliban “Special Forces”