Real estate agents say that the 3 most important things in a real estate investment are location, location and location. You could say the same about geopolitics.
Afghanistan is in a strategic location in the middle of Persia, India, China and Russia. It is in the middle of major trade routes between the east and the west.
More importantly Afghanistan is the home to the Khyber pass. It is said that anyone who controlled the pass held the keys to India. Thus, Indian emperors and emperors elsewhere fought really hard to control that region. Strong Indian empires such as the Maghadas, Guptas and Mughals thus had an eye on this region.
When the British took over India in the 18th century, they inherited all these challenges and fought hard to influence Afghanistan. This was especially important as the Russians started eating up most of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Britain had to do everything to stop Russia from closing in on the subcontinent. Thus, Afghanistan became a tool for the superpowers. The Great Game
After 200 years of eying Afghanistan, the Russians (more precisely the USSR) finally entered Afghanistan in 1978. The Americans and their ally Pakistan were really alarmed by the turn of events and they started engaging the mujahideen who finally packed USSR and also in the processes breaking up the union. Since then Americans have been fighting in the region.
Afghanistan has been historically very important for both India and Pakistan and by extension their key allies such as Russia and the US. Although the American media seldom mentions the Indian part in the whole game, it has been India that was in the center for the Afghan game throughout history.
Afghanistan is in a strategic location in the middle of Persia, India, China and Russia. It is in the middle of major trade routes between the east and the west.
More importantly Afghanistan is the home to the Khyber pass. It is said that anyone who controlled the pass held the keys to India. Thus, Indian emperors and emperors elsewhere fought really hard to control that region. Strong Indian empires such as the Maghadas, Guptas and Mughals thus had an eye on this region.
When the British took over India in the 18th century, they inherited all these challenges and fought hard to influence Afghanistan. This was especially important as the Russians started eating up most of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Britain had to do everything to stop Russia from closing in on the subcontinent. Thus, Afghanistan became a tool for the superpowers. The Great Game
After 200 years of eying Afghanistan, the Russians (more precisely the USSR) finally entered Afghanistan in 1978. The Americans and their ally Pakistan were really alarmed by the turn of events and they started engaging the mujahideen who finally packed USSR and also in the processes breaking up the union. Since then Americans have been fighting in the region.
Afghanistan has been historically very important for both India and Pakistan and by extension their key allies such as Russia and the US. Although the American media seldom mentions the Indian part in the whole game, it has been India that was in the center for the Afghan game throughout history.
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