The American defeats in Vietnam and Afghanistan are often compared as military and foreign-policy failures. But there is another comparison that matters at least as much: what happened to the people left behind after the Americans departed? If we put aside the destruction caused during the wars themselves and concentrate on their aftermaths, an important difference […]
After US Defeat: Vietnam and Afghanistan
After US Defeat: Vietnam and Afghanistan
04 Sep 2026 Leave a comment
in defence economics, development economics, economic history, growth disasters, growth miracles, industrial organisation, Marxist economics, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan, Vietnam
The Taliban, Women and the Far Left
15 Aug 2026 1 Comment
in defence economics, discrimination, economics of education, economics of religion, gender, human capital, labour economics, labour supply, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan
It is five years today since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. On 15 August 2021, its forces entered Kabul as the Afghan government collapsed and the long Western intervention came to an ignominious end. Five years later, the consequences for Afghan women are appalling. The Taliban has issued more than 100 decrees restricting the […]
The Taliban, Women and the Far Left
Investment in Blood: The True Cost of Britain’s Afghan War by Frank Ledwidge (2013)
25 Oct 2023 Leave a comment
in defence economics, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan, war against terror
Before the British burst onto the scene, Helmand was ‘stable’ in the sense that there was almost no Taliban presence and little prospect of any. After three years of British presence, the province was the most savage combat zone in the world. With British forces and their commanders out of their depth, it was only […]
Investment in Blood: The True Cost of Britain’s Afghan War by Frank Ledwidge (2013)
Losing Small Wars: British Military Failure in the 9/11 Wars by Frank Ledwidge, second edition (2017)
14 Oct 2023 Leave a comment
in defence economics, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan, Iraq
‘You have the watches, but we have the time.’ (Taliban saying, possibly apocryphal, page 93) Summary This is a quite mind-blowing, jaw-dropping analysis of the incompetence, ignorance, narrow-mindedness, bad planning, profligacy, bureaucratic in-fighting, politicking, terrible leadership, lack of strategy, appalling mismanagement and ineptitude which characterised the British Army campaigns in Iraq (2003 to 2009) and […]
Losing Small Wars: British Military Failure in the 9/11 Wars by Frank Ledwidge, second edition (2017)
The Stinger Missile: The Incredible Weapon That Changed the battlefield
04 Jan 2023 Leave a comment
in defence economics, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan
The Taliban, explained
13 Nov 2021 Leave a comment
in development economics, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan, war against terror
There is still a war on, you know
07 Oct 2021 Leave a comment
in defence economics, economics of crime, International law, law and economics, laws of war, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan, war against terror
1842 Retreat From Kabul
24 Sep 2021 Leave a comment
in defence economics, development economics, economic history, growth disasters, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan, age of empires
Lee Kuan Yew’s Prediction on Afghanistan in 2009
03 Sep 2021 Leave a comment
in defence economics, development economics, economic history, growth disasters, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan, war against terror
Papier-Mâché Tiger | Conversations From The Hoover Institution
26 Aug 2021 Leave a comment
in defence economics, politics - USA, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan, war against terror
Note for sleepy @JoeBiden
21 Aug 2021 Leave a comment
in defence economics, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan, war against terror
How Taliban Expanded in Afghanistan During America’s Longest War
10 Aug 2021 Leave a comment
in defence economics, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan, war against terror
Obama is worse than George Bush and Tony Blair says Noam Chomsky 2011!
15 Dec 2019 Leave a comment
in defence economics, economics of crime, International law, law and economics, laws of war, politics - USA, war and peace Tags: Afghanistan, Israel, war against terror, West Bank
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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