Afghanistan has been a conundrum, yet to be solved for centuries. It marked the furthest point that Alexander the Great got before turning back, it snarled the British, ground the Russians down, and now the US is there.

Alexander was there merely out of conquest and discovery, sort of like trying to quench an unquenchable thirst. The British were there to protect the crown jewel of their Empire, India. They discovered it was not that essential, especially when defeat did not bring about negative consequences to their Indian interests. The Russians were there to create a communist buffer with the subcontinent. The US, well 9/11 explains it all.

It is perhaps not so much a conundrum as it is one of those revisited footnotes in history. How a hard to reach region, that has for most of its existence remained on the margins of technological progress, be it eastern or western; has to some degree or another brought the focus of attention on itself by the super powers of their day.

Perhaps the fact that it is so hard to reach, so isolated, so desolate even; perhaps that is why it has served as a place of refuge for those seeking hiding, and also why all of the best of their day find it a hard place to bring their strength to bear.