Extract From a Traveller's Diaries
The Americans built one side of the road and the Russians built the other side, both attempting to win the hearts and minds of the people. I would suggest that the USSR was responsible for the left side, and the USA for the right side.
Of course the wise old Afghanis would court both sides and be allies of neither. From recent events, one could see the deep-felt, independence of the Afghanis and I dare say they would not be silly enough to be duped by the games played by the super powers. The inhabitants of this sparse country have long, bitter memories and they are still at war with the now-defunct,. British Empire. Who is going to tell these fierce Pathan tribesmen, that the British Empire no longer exists & one couldn’t help thinking that once they had sent the Russians home they would return to fighting their old enemy.
Future events would bring a totally new agenda to the table.
The Russians cannot win, they lack a fighting spirit, but the Moslems firmly believe in their Jihad and will gladly die fighting as Allah has guaranteed instant transport to paradise for any Moslem who dies in battle fighting the infidel.
By now I was well-aware of the Afghani hospitality. I had met some tribes on their way to Mecca, when our bus broke down in Iran, while we were waiting for spare parts from Meshed and I was seeking refuge in a tea-house, l experienced real Afghan hospitality, straight from the heart, no strings attached. On stepping through the door of the tea-house, and out of a heavy snow storm, l saw the fiercest-looking people I have ever met. They had a bizarre appearance, shaved heads with unnaturally red-coloured, beards, dripping onto their chests. They were crowded around the wood stove, and, as I drew nearer to the only source of heat in the room, they all seemed to back away and give me the prime position at the direct heat. I soon learned the rules of this world and when the next pilgrim came through the door out of the cold, I also moved away from, the stove to let him gain access to the heat. this brought a warm response from the Afghanis (not noted for their warmth), who threw their toothless, knowing smiles in my direction. Their hardened exterior, masked a reality of openness and acceptability. These people only possessed at most: a rifle, coat, blanket, wife, horse, and some sheep, but they always seemed to be happy and this was their main attraction for me. Values had to undergo a radical change when entering Afghanistan, after all a horse or sheep was evidently of more value than a woman or a wife. Naturally their lifestyle had sharpened them a great deal, and what these tribes knew about survival tactics would fill many volumes. Further evidence of this ability to survive under harsh conditions would be seem later, when the mujahadeen would live off the land while waging war on one of the super powers. One could almost say that Afghanistan was the Russians' Vietnam.
My admiration for these people was to increase during my short stay in Afghanistan, and one could easily see why so many overland travellers, never complete their voyage to India and remained in Afghanistan. The hotels catered for foreign travellers and pumped out western music all day and served delicious, western food, so it was tempting to..........(to be continued.........)
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