Afghanistan has a feudal system. The hard terrain helps keep power decentralized among politicians, warlords, and tribal leaders. It's not that different than medieval Europe when kings and nobles ran around doing their thing. Only instead of spears and pikes its AK-47s and RPGs. The warlords and politicains vi for control using a mix of culture, commere, relegion, and violance to carve out kingdoms. The political science term is "spheres of influence" but our medieval comrades would recognize the set up. The tools of feudalism have changed but the structure is the same.
The Afghan rulers that have manged to control the country have influenced areas along the ring road, but not much further (map below). Between us (America) and the Soviets we have had similar challenges with the ring road. Going farther back than recent history, Afghan rulers are have to balance one tribe against another to make sure no one groups gets too strong. Reminds me of Europe during Machiavelli's time.
The fuedal framwork is a useful tool for understanding the environment over there (or at it's least useful for me). Many Afghans don't have a sense of national identity (though I have heard the Afghan military does). Instead there is allegiance first to family, then tribe, then faith, and then country. This isn't wrong, it's just different. You have to know these loyalties to be effective at operating there.
In the US military, when we are deployed, the system feels feudal. To avert anarchy we subsume ourselves to the tyranny of rank. There are benevolent "kings/queens" who lead well and who we happily follow. And there are jerks who beat you over the head with their rank and drive you crazy... It's a form of feudalism that coalesces around rank and units. Which is why I'll post soon about how much more fun it is to be Captain instead of a Lieutenant...
The Afghan rulers that have manged to control the country have influenced areas along the ring road, but not much further (map below). Between us (America) and the Soviets we have had similar challenges with the ring road. Going farther back than recent history, Afghan rulers are have to balance one tribe against another to make sure no one groups gets too strong. Reminds me of Europe during Machiavelli's time.
The fuedal framwork is a useful tool for understanding the environment over there (or at it's least useful for me). Many Afghans don't have a sense of national identity (though I have heard the Afghan military does). Instead there is allegiance first to family, then tribe, then faith, and then country. This isn't wrong, it's just different. You have to know these loyalties to be effective at operating there.
In the US military, when we are deployed, the system feels feudal. To avert anarchy we subsume ourselves to the tyranny of rank. There are benevolent "kings/queens" who lead well and who we happily follow. And there are jerks who beat you over the head with their rank and drive you crazy... It's a form of feudalism that coalesces around rank and units. Which is why I'll post soon about how much more fun it is to be Captain instead of a Lieutenant...
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