A bunch of badly dressed, evil smelling mussies beat the US Army ...

[dryheat]

The Chinese will be in there in no time flat with financial aid. They'll own the place just like they now own Africa

Lucky them. I suppose there is some benefit in running crappy places.

[dogtag]

Lucky them. I suppose there is some benefit in running crappy places.

The benefit is they then own those crappy places and can militarize them. It also expands their empire.

[dryheat]

What goes around. The emperor who(I forget his name) consolidated most of China and created the terracotta army. The civilization at that time was on a roll. Their crossbows wouldn't be duplicated for hundreds of years. Mass produced with interchangeable parts. Kind of like the Garand.

[togor]

We did smash the Taliban flat. Trouble is, there's a Taliban factory next door in Pakistan that just keeps making more. It's the Pakis not the Amis who want to keep Afghanistan a dysfunctional mess, but one that they control, as opposed to India or anyone else. Pakistan loses any peace in Afghanistan, except a temporary one with the Taliban running the show....maybe.

For Pakistan we can thank the British and their indifferent cartography when they quit their South Asian empire after WW2. Come to think of it, pretty much every post-colonial border drawn in Whitehall has caused problems.

[Art]

We did smash the Taliban flat. Trouble is, there's a Taliban factory next door in Pakistan that just keeps making more. It's the Pakis not the Amis who want to keep Afghanistan a dysfunctional mess, but one that they control, as opposed to India or anyone else. Pakistan loses any peace in Afghanistan, except a temporary one with the Taliban running the show....maybe.

For Pakistan we can thank the British and their indifferent cartography when they quit their South Asian empire after WW2. Come to think of it, pretty much every post-colonial border drawn in Whitehall has caused problems.

India/Pakistan/Bangladesh wasn't the worst move the Brits made, much bigger screw ups were made in Africa and the middle east. It was an attempt to keep Hindus and Moslems from killing each other and preventing a possible chaotic "Balkanization" of the Indian sub continent once the Brits left. It was moderately successful at that. There were, of course, unintended unpleasant consequences that, as you note we're seeing some of the results of today.

[dogtag]

The Brits kept the peace throughout the mideast - I know because I was one of 'em.
When Nasser blocked the canal, we (+France and Israel) kicked their arse until
IKE called a halt with threats. So we left and that's when the place turned to crap.

[jjrothWA]

China can have Africa.

[gpb]

I'm sure that the Chinese will treat the inhabitants of their new colonies with the utmost of respect.

[dryheat]

They have shown some restrain lately.

[dogtag]

The Chinese leaders are devotees of Sun Tsu. They're getting stronger while we're getting weaker.