The Last Man

The Last Man
By Haroon Parvani
Translated By Niek Hendrix
30 June 2010
Edited by Sam Carter

"And in his mercy, the Afghan king ordered to stop at the last man and let the last man go alive.”

On Jan. 6, 1842, the British army withdrew from Kabul and began its march through the snow in the direction of India. Behind them were Afghans on horseback, firing at the rear, with their long swords raised.

That was the first day, and the blood colored the snow a dark red.

On the morning of the second day it turned out that during the night many people had died from the cold, and many had lost their limbs by freezing. That was the second day, and the blood colored the snow a dark red.

On the third day the British army entered the Khoord Kabul Pass. Above them were tribe members who then fired on the troops, and behind them were Afghans raising their rifles and brandishing their swords. That was the third day, and the blood colored the snow a dark red.



unhappycamper comment: I had posted this thread earlier today:

The Remnants of an Army





Oil painting by Lady Elizabeth Butler, 1879

The Brits tried two times already and are currently on their third try.

Afghanistan bankrupted the Soviet union and it will do so for the United States.

re the brits.

I'm currently halfway thru "Retreat From Kabul: The Incredible Story of How a Savage Afghan Force Massacred the World's Most Powerful Army" and I see many of the same mistakes being made by the United States.