Churchill left his unit in India to join the Malakand Field Force commanded by Sir Bindon Blood. This action during the summer of 1897 consisted of a British force of "about two thousand men, mostly Indian army troops commanded by white officers, matched against some twelve thousand Pathans." The goal of relieving forts in jeopardy and dispatching any hostiles was to lead to restoration of control by the British.
This assertion of control in Malakand started uneventfully, but soon escalated into a nineteenth century version of search and destroy. As Churchill wrote,
We proceeded systematically, village by village, and we destroyed the houses, filled up the wells, blew down the towers, cut down the great shady trees, burned the crops and broke the reservoirs in punitive devastation.Not too surprisingly, the fiercely independent tribesmen (a description that applies today) struck back. As Churchill's unit became spread out over a large valley floor, a roiling Pathan assault issued from the hills. Forced to retreat and to abandon their wounded, whom the Pathans promptly hacked to pieces, Churchill's unit found a defensible position to repel the attack. Churchill himself used a rifle and wrote "...I think I hit 4 men. At any rate they fell."
The glory seeker had a new perspective to view armed struggle. It's doubtful Barack Obama will get this view. However, with the modern communications revolution, the savagery of war may not be as far away as it once was for those who command from afar. Churchill sensed this gap in perception between those who fought and those far from the killing. Writing to his grandmother, he reflected,
I wonder if people in England have any idea of the warfare that is being carried on here...no quarter is ever asked or given. The tribesmen torture the wounded and mutilate the dead. The troops never spare a man who falls into their hands — whether he be wounded or not...I wish I could come to the conclusion that all this barbarity — all these losses — all this expenditure — had resulted in a permanent settlement being obtained, I do not think, however, that anything has been done that will not have to be done again.In this light, what is the path to victory in Afghanistan? Notice how victory is not mentioned in this war. If not victory, then what is the timetable for withdrawal? What are the benchmarks of success, Mr. President?
Article comments
1 - Mongo
Interesting parallel Dock, but I would venture to take a guess that The President and advisors are thinking about Pakistan a lot in this. If the U.S. can help bring some stability to Afganistan and more importantly stabilize the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan then it may be helpful in that way to unstable Pakistan.
I hope we will also be able to draw parallels between President Obama and Prime Minister Churchill in their ability to communicate powerfully and inspire their peoples with the resolve they need to weather the crises they face.
2 - jon_e_7
I believe Obama has stated (at inaugeraton?)his biggest challenge will be expectations; did Bush even leave the ranch in the first 100 days? Obama's presidency MAY be the best thing that's happened to the world in some time, but he clings to "the imperative of economic growth" so let's cross our fingers and hope real hard, cuz growth is also the credo of the cancer cell.
3 - Mr. Dock Ellis
Mongo,
Obama needs to give a major speech, not ruminate in private. Bush did this for the surge, which after all is what this is with respect to Afghanistan. Real leadership on this demands he use the bully pulpit and use it forcefully.
Our allies, our enemies and most of all, our soldiers need to know that this country and this president, however inexperienced he may be, support this effort 100%
4 - jon_e_7
Mr. Doc, after 8 years of Bush' saber-rattling, you want more?
5 - Bliffle
Pakistan? Swat Valley? What Swat needs is a strongman. A Sultan. Sultan of Swat.
6 - Clavos
Obama's presidency MAY be the best thing that's happened to the world in some time...
...but probably won't be.
7 - Bliffle
Iraq was a stupid diversion that distracted attention from the REAL troublespots in Afghanistan and Pakistan. And now it allows Afghanistan itself to be a distraction from the REAL REAL troublespot in Pakistan.
Will Obama allow Afghanistan to distract from Pakistan as his predecessor did?
Pakistan has been playing us for suckers for 50 years. It's time to stop. Pull the economic and military aid (which the stupid venal Pakistanis have use for decades to prepare for a war with India that will never happen) and tell them to get their act in order (leash the ISI, quit playing footsy with Taliban, etc.) or prepare to be overrun by al Queda, at which point many hundreds of US nuke-tipped missiles are re-sighted for Pakistan, not because of empty saber-rattling threats, but because a radical rabid extremist al queda in charge of Pakistani nukes is a REAL concern to US security.
The Paks have thought themselves clever for decades, but they have overplayed their hand.
8 - Mr. Dock Ellis
Umm.. Jon_e_7 newsflash the sword was actually drawn, so to speak, in Afghanistan seven years ago. BHO is adding more troops. Do you support them?
9 - Cindy
The grunts who serve become nothing more than push pins on a map somewhere.
When weren't they?
One hopes Obama could grow to understand what is necessary in war, so lives aren't thrown away recklessly.
I'm afraid that's not in the cards as ever becoming a priority for governments and people who have power in them--any of them.
10 - jon_e_7
Mr Dock, bad choice of metaphor on my part, and I do know something of the Afghan-American history, et al. I've been witness to the reaction as our Canadian soldiers are brot home in a bag, and no I don't support BHO on this. Linda McQuaig's book " Holding the Bully's Coat" (Canada's role in Afghanistan) nails it for me.
11 - jon_e_7
Cindy, I share yor hope, but I'm saddened by the self-fufilling prophecy of yor last statement.
12 - Cindy
jon,
No worries, we just need to get rid of government. :-)
13 - Cindy
Oh and jon, what's necessary regarding war, to me, is not to have one.