Chapter 1

1 .; Bis.taE&tal ~SE&

(a) Geg~trf!1tuis •. .l~

A:tettanlstan's location J.s ot immeue .po-stmegt.o

slgnt.t;f.oance as it 1s located. betwetn the f.lld4le East,

Gerst;ral Asia and the IndtQn sakontlnent• lt is a land.•

l®ked country enc•passtng the blgb :mountains ot tbe Hindu

Kush 1n the nortb•aast and ctese"s along the \"Ies,tem · . 1

bordef!l:h· It u a rt~tainous ~oo~ bavklg a i;o1la1 land U'ea of abO\lt 'ltJO;OOO square Jdlometres. 1hese physical

. I

teatures cODst1tute .formidable natut-al defences for the - ' ' ' ' ' -

country wblob has a Comllcnt .tront1er with the Soviet Union

1n the nol'th., with Paklstu wh1oh •s •part o.t .BritiSh XQdla

tUl 194? m tbe nol"th-east, anti tbe &ou.'th 1 wttb Iran .i.e the 'tJeSt.. .xa the ncrcb•east, tbe narrow atrtp ot Wakban is oqnt£guous to People's Repub'l1o ot Cblm .• lt has a

population over 16 mUUons wltll a:M\lal srowth ot two to three per aent • . The po~atton. ls mainly ooncentrate4 1n

the l'ertlle ltal.le.v.. a.. plains,. Ji.ver 1!:Janks "· an4 f'ootbillS ...: ! • 2

where good soll and wateJt .s.a :ava.Uat4th

1 i _;Ji il ~

Arth~ .. · · s. Ba. nics (e. d.) 1 tc .. lf~S!lt. f!@!!.4l!9!!s ... Jt:~ the . \forld;t 1m (New York. 1979), P• · .. ~. Jiarf!l*surv.!l .. ~!!or.l .. on. 4.tidugu.atan (New Delhl. n.d.), P• . • .

The name At'aha,nietan means 'the land of Afghans•

but its ethnic ·CQnpoaltJ.on oompr1ses people of diverse

or1&J.ns. Pa.ashtuns1 Ta;jlks, Dzbeu ., 1\trkor:.um, Hazara,

Noor1stan1, etc.. '!be tem nAtgbanistan• is .Qat a new one

ns sanetmes believed. !he· te.m was app11ed. to a tex:ritocy

t'!ltlQh smaller 1ft au.e than present Atgb.atd.staa as long ago

as the sevemh century, well b&tore· Ahmad Shah'Du.~

.t~ the At&taan &nptre Sa the eighteenth centtJl7·• According to saytal.-Haraw.l, it l!."aS l.c»ate4 to the east or

contemporary At'gbanS.stan as tar aa the Indus W.S..th the

SUlaimaa mountains at J:ts GeAi;e~.. 1b.ls territory was

inhabited by Pusbtun peoPle who .tor ;qany centuries were

re.ferrect to as· .Avage.M and. .A•po-KJ.en .from wh.t4b the tem

"AfghanUtan" seems to haw been derived.. With the spr~4

of the Pusbtuns 1n the follo•J.ns cen1aartea, the tem

. • AfghanitJtan • gnutwaUy slgn1.tled a larger territory tbat

evcntu.ally11lclude4 thE~ lhurasan ot the XslatnLt: era attd

AriAna of the anolent t1mf!s. SJ.m~a~l1:t the tem "MgtuuaR

·w1Qb. cr1gtMlly denoted. onlY a »art!.euJ.ar ethole group,

now: legally and com1:1tut1onally Gnoompassea all ·ethnic . J .

arou.p:s 11 vln.g m mod.e.-n A.fBJl.anlstath

(tj) J!1§tQ~~-IY!l4

Usnan1stan emerged as an 1ndependent pol1t1cal

entity, .fot! tbe 1'trst time iii h1stol1'• in 1?47. when Ahmad.

3

2

Shah DurranS. united. its ~1onal prinelpalitles into 4

an errgantsed state. ~ior to that, the vari.ows regJ.ons

of Afpantstan bad. either formed parts o£ the Indi.Qn or·

Pereun emp1ree or had remalnti!d smau powers"

The geosraPhlcal situat.1on of Af'gbanlstan had l:K!en

such that it had been the veruae .ot many c1vU1aat1~·

A.coordlns to LoQts Dupree:

Pal.aeel1tbic man PJ'Qba bly 11ved in the caves ot nofthem Atgban1stan as long as 50,000. years.· .· aso• NoJ'th. · .· 4tgbantsta.n arso probably sets .irl the. zone of the develoP-m ent i! • • the meo:Uthtc R((Nolt;ttion which &a'-• man control ot bts roo4 St.lJ)ply about 11,000 yeaJts ago,. \fll.icb le4 Ul.tlmat-ely to the urlnn olv.Ul~attons ot the Nile Valley. the 1'1gl'1s • Euphrates valleys and tfte In®a valley. Post-World \'far U mteaWtions in soutb:-centml.· Atldlantstan point to intimate relat1onsb1pS wtth .the In~ Valley clvUiza• t1on,. tw:tb~on4 mJJJ.ennla a.c. 5

Aryans ve bell.evo4 to have mipated .tram he~

southward to lndla. Atgbanistan, even in the ~liSt,. ba4

assumed. unusual baponanoe owing to J.te s,eo•strategio

situation as .f.t "l.av en tbe 1n:"as1cm route to India and . # . '

bad t;een used. bJ many cronquerors 'tor thiS purpose." ·

6

. d- f

.As. _1!)1 ar a. w~•· !ttfi~rtsn.-r.s i£&1;ii)}. • .Jn~~J. l.~J..,liQZ (New Del.lt1,, ·· . · . _ , P• . •

touS.s Dupne, Atli!!nistaa (New Jersey, 1973), PP•· X'IU•XVI:tl;-·~ . "' " . · ·

t~!~~ai~§)~o~~f'h~s,i' .!!131 Aa1&:,, .l:?A1•t:z

Al.~r the Groat bad cae thmuab tMs ~e &n

331 a.c. to reo.c" J:us.w. !be s!Jbser.au.aat period ctl'.lOosOd Rabi%1U4 ~(10()r).l026 A.•fJ•) f S*#murlq (1398) and !tabU" (1526) to11o~ tillS route to ln?ado lncUa. xt tnlS also tb~ Af~$an tbt$ tbe Pemian ltlng lladf.r ShQb

attacke4 Xadla J.al. 11J8•.

Ir.l tbll w:lke of AlGG~e JatastOil and. pa!¥Snp (' ' . . .. . ..

tb~ tn• ~•Gl~ ~ the t'otu:tb century s.c. the'tQ erose '*~ tlf.xt'~ ot sensuous ~ blR.Udllstlo eksstcd• z«. . ~ " ' ' '\tt~ Central Ashn "!-· -~bO,..t.on s.aeoloates • tbo

' ~ ' ' ' I

nann~ B\ld,dhUe l)ractu

"shook the powerfUl Gupta Empire to its foundations and

eventually consigned it to oblivion"•

5

The middle at seventh century envisaged the Arab

invasion in the region and the Arabs reached Kabul and.

Kandbar. 1hen Mohammed Bin Qasim entered India and

--6 l collapse of his empire and Ugban!stan was ud1-v1deti between

the empires of Persia and Nugbal Xndla, the northern tribes 10 .

being under Mughal. rul.$, ·tt

TQQ events were cbanaina nt.PitUY and. 1ft the :ea~lY

decades oZ the eighteenth century •. tbe aouthem .tribes led

by the GhU2aJ..s n:.se 1n rebellion agaJ.nst Persia \1b1ch

subsequently s;pread. to Hem and: south-east Pers.ta. !l.'he

Peras.ac klns1 Nadir Shab quell eel thiS rebellion and subdUed. t.be whOle ot southem Atgbatd.stani* Follow.1ng the mul'det"" ot

Nadil' Shah. in 1747, the Atgbafl Ahmad Khan ot th·e Abdnll tribe,

later known as lluft'ant, amassed troops and reeained Kandbar·,

Re enUste4 the aapport of looal tr1bes and tO\mded tbe ·•ltiDgdQll o£ Afghanistan*.,

When· Abma:d. Shah Durran1 consolldated the ld.ngdom of

Afghanistan in 1747, tbe British bad also gained a foothold

on Indian sc1l w1t.b the help ot the East India Company. The

.su.bsequent period was marked by rapi,d. expansion ot British

emptre 1n ~d1a~ In '1762, Abmad Shah defeated the Silm.s near

Utbot-ch Following tbe annexation of Kashmir, be held dominion

over $tl area· extending fran the Attock ri:'!er to Delhi and 11

.from bOrder ot ttbet to the Indian Co$att.

10

11

lbld•t P• 4.

H •. -A .• s ••. Jafri .. r .Indst:MII.ian RelatioM: 1941~1 (Delh1, 1916,1' P·· 2. -· " '.. . ... ' . . .. ·-

Following the death of Dtlrran1, the k1ngdQ!l of

Atgbanlatan started di.sintegrats.ng. The Br11;1sb were extending their empire to the north~'lest. Afghanistan cOUld

not escape their attention. Xhe llrLtisb took various measures

to ensure political and canmerotal oontac'ts with Afghanistan.

However, the tirst Bri-tish Mission to Af§'uln1stan was led by

Mowrtstunrt El:phtnstone 1n 1809 .and both the countries signed 12

a treaty of trlendsbtp.

2· §Jttemal §n'!lro:t'qfi\,

1

Th.e founding or the kingdom ot Afgb.a.ntstnn in 1747 coincided w1th various developments in the .ne1gbbourklg

countries - Brttish IDc:U.a, Pet:'S1a an4 Russia. Russia had also

made ad11anoes in. the central Asia during the eighteenth

century. S1tn1le.rJ.y, :Sr1tleh lmperialiSJ'I was eapandl.ng 1ft the

Indian sUbeon'n.tnsnt. It was 1n Atgbard.stan tbat both Britain

and Russia couronted eacn other •

. Great. Power Rt!f!!a ~ i'"Jio' 'coism""'ijii . p~· 4

1'he COtlquest by European. powers during tbe J'd.neteenth

and eai""lY tvent1etb centuries threatened the ""ry cultural and political existenoe ot the .lsl.atoio: ~lCl· Fo~ .Afghanistan

th'e situation became critical la,te ln tbe nineteenth century,

when the Russian and British empires e

e

~q::Ru:9stan &!!&a

tb.e strategic l.mport.anoe of Atfllantstan bad

1hcre~e4 dl.ir!Ag the nlnet•entb oentury. %be Europ·.eaft

empires had ·eme:r8ed m the Asian scene. Tbe Russ1an and

Brltisb advanoes &tri.ng the nineteenth oenttu:T "brou~~tt them to 13

met$ near All;lbanLsten". The end of the ·Crimean War

envisaged a new phase in Russian expansiord.sm in C9ntl"al

.Aala. Russlacs ~advanced. eastwud where one lawless tsrtbe

after another prompted Ruastan GXpanslon. fbe Brl.t.lsb were

also pwrs\d.ng their begemontst1o des.1gns aoross tbe lncl.WI to

keep their empil"e Ul Iftd!$ sa.te tl"'m the Not'tb•W.eate.m tlanks•

Thus during the ns.neteentb centUJ7, Atghanlstat.t bad become a

~rnte ot Anglo-~aslan rivalry ...... with aritai.lt tr~ to atop

RussS.aa a4vanoe lbt

sousht to sateguatl'll its tt:-ont 1-er witb Atsbantstan..

the BritiSh we-re VBrt aenslt1w abOut tbe detence ot India and the reason d the... l:)elng so $ens1tt.ve about

tbe de.tence ot the Nortb~1es\ h"ont1er, \1h!Gb. then &eJ'Ve4

as a border between British Incd.a and. Atgbantste.n, 1s not

tar t..o seek. Their powar was essentially sea•or1ented, !bey c•e to ladle by sea J"'Qtef anci tbeir expans1on .as

t.rom the east and south ot tn

war. (1939•1942). The taUure ot Britain to ol)talft bett

ob3ecttves tn this war· led to ttm)J)oltll')' 41sengagemont. bit

Br1tabl*s .terwanl pol-y was not to 'Qe.· st~pped• W1d the

.aw1val of fttl&sian mlss1on 1tl Atgbantstan ~Jeoame the cause

ot tba seoeftd A.ngl~Atghan \1ar (1SJ&tr.l879) •

fb.e JDost sifg:IU:tcant Brtt.tsh loss in the .fi.m

Anglo...Afghan trar was losing the prestJ.se ot a natlon Whose -' - ' .

emp.lre J.n the East bad aever suttwed sach bUIDU1Gt1on.

10

After the t.l*agiO tetl.ure ot British diPlomacy 1ft. Atgbam.stan,

tJte pol.t.cY pure.•c by 14r4 Aucklan4 was reversed.. LoN

BlleriJOrougb issued a P.roclarnatl.on to th.JA etteot Qtl October' 1,

1842, settibg tortb that the Jr1tisb atmy be withdl'mfn .fl'Om

At'gbatd.stan., He 1eft tbe Atshans t

when Abdul Rebman became ltlng ot At&hantstan, he assured Brit.a.Sil tbnt as long as Br1~1sh emp1n at14 that ~Russia

existed, the tribes ot Atgtaen!stan shoUld lJ.ve U1 peaoe. He was keen t(! sbow !d.msel1 not allied with any .to#eign

power,

After Russian Gd-tallo:eS :kl Central Asia the later

n

ptutse ot 1880s env1afllgG4 A.nglo~ssian negotiations leading

to tbe t'inal d.~ation of Atgbac border thztoUgb. an agteetnent

rat1tte4 lilll87. rwo '"" earll~· sa Jlal'Cb 188,, Russia to~et\0.11 O®t1J)Ie4 the P~~b area and tbe 8r1tlsh teared that the Ru.ssJ.Ms lf0Ul4 eventually absorb all ot Af _ _._ ·;s ."'4 stan 16 . . ~-nonb ~ Ii1ad.\l "**• !'be tact tt1at .Dri:tatn dl.d nl'Jt Uva up to their ol4iaat.t.on o:t assls~il'li Atgbantatan agat.nst the Pa~deb ogpession bas not 'been ~orgOtten by subeeqllent Af(!):J;m

NJ.era.

In 1980 Abd.\t1 Rahman,. n.oa o£ Atgbanlstan, was not . wastln& b1s edle _.Ia Central Ask as. the suest ot the Russian

Gove=mflllt• A.tter seekJAg pemJ:ssJ.on of the Russ1arl hosts,

he set out to aeiae tho opportunity or establisbir:tg ldm&eU tn Atgb.aat.staa. Uben tbe Juitlsh nluotatltlV and wttb serious

mtsp~s reeo~ him. aa Amir d ~\114, Anglo.Afabml

NlJ.iJtlons wore ~ne4 ld.th the 1Q3aC7 of Wo •rs• the 1oss o£ we, en4 propenJ Qnd the Ul~ ad. di.Stmst that

J"est4te4• Rllssta was est~g ~ btluenoe In Central Asla,

soce to JJnp$nge an UsJ:tan: terrtt.otY, an.d tbe stase was set £.or the battle o: the HJ.ndu-..Kwm as the .\Q:tblate .trontler between the Soviet l.Jn£on and Ute ir1t1sb lttdler1 &npift!lj.

!be new Ami.~ vas, to a ce%"tatft egeem, tbe onature •

of the two rival .empU1lS• He owed muc:lh ot his pollt1o«1 tmtning end his u.nd$ratan&g ot ~r pol.ltlcs t.o aJmosl twelve years ot exile in Russian ftirld.stan• H• asccmttod. the

throne wltb tbe sanction rJI both Dr1taJ.n and Russlfh Russia

permitted Abdal Rabnan to eata\ll1sb ldmsel.£ ta no%'tbem

Atgbantsta.ri. Loft L}'tton, h a. ~•real ot biG .to~

poliCY:~ VMte4. $0 witb&-aw the a-:Ltbh troops trom their

Lncreas1asJ.y. precar10U$ oool.q)atl.on of soutbem A.t,shantstan

12

an4 ottered .AbdUl Rabmaft the entlt'e count~ t~lth 'the exceptlcm

o£ Herat, whicb was ~ be ceded to Pe~Sla,. and teandbt'llr,.

\thlcb was •o beo

in Aigbantstan an.cl defending him lrom cutstde aggess1ont

prov.tded. tbe lun1r left the toretgn relat lons with the

OoVllmatent ot .b

14

In 1900t ttuss'ans oame out wJ.tb. tbe proposal ot

ilav&fts dlnle' relattou 11lth Atghaale~n to ?mich the Brtt1Sb

were l\11ootant. fbe repeated Russian emphasis o: uu:Ibd:a1ntng u~• relati-one Wltlt Ugbanlstan iolttall.Y made the Brltlsb -· - a gow-rl'l~Qent "Uclined to aoq\falesee w1th the sov1o req11est. •

Ho-ver,. tbe ir1ttsb twntl a wa)" out b.v contendtilS thd ttte presence Of Ru:sslaas .tn Atgbmlstan reqtllred thG consent ot tbe .1tlrig ot A1ananS.stan and the BritLSh; even thougb Ill cberse

of Atsttan torelao attalna batt Ntratned trQa sentU.ng their

OWA agents wtthat tbe pri.oP conselll$, ot A£$bQD lt.fns• However, Russ.s.tm$ detened: tb.t.s proposrA.

Xc the wake ot moutrt&Ds Anglo-Gov~et ~l:val17,

Atabtanl~an had been .. able to malnta$n *'" survt~ 1\Y' put'SuJng the &k.Q.tt4 pol~y ot maA.ntalld.Dg tteutnllt:y., l'be u.- rulers tollowed a consotoqs pollcJ. first totmutated 'b7 Ab&ll Rahman in the late l890a, d\1ob rested

on the pHmiae·ttaa' Atgb~n•'s aelsb~ were essentlolly hostile an4 lJeJ1t on 'Cew1te1'1al ar:mmcatton. ~o- deter hls

~aelgbbaurS t¥'01.1 aggression, ~ Rabman pfUtsu.ea. • polioJ ot

111 · 1 · ?. a t.t . · .- @li. t n M ·- · r ·

15

mll.ttant power .._. att.empte

16

c:maltl speo:Uio issues l11'lloh tended to "'open tho- Atgb~ q\iestlon. He 1ntormed ·the Driti.Sh oat~net that 1n 181'

Atpanlstan was oo:ns1der4d outside their 1tapbel'$ ol uttont

in poU.t1QOl matters and R\lSs.IG lntend$4 to haw tih-eQt, flO.'tl*'·

pol1tloal J;~elatioAS wlth Argbanlstan.

the .Br1t1Sh Qover"Jlllent quest.ione4 their ltwls&an

count~ a'bollt ~empts to ~w tnto di"ct NlQttone with A.fgbe.nlstan. Dl.e Brlt,J.sh, however, thou.gbt that there

was a case ~or d1N01J RuselaD ~lations ritb Atgheft1stan tor oommel'Osal and bQQndarl dl.spate,., ht.lt deolared that 1t would

. 24 1)e sanctioned ODly b7 the Oovel"Jlnlent of Lon.don,

·file RussJ,.QtlS_. b~s~, cc:nt.f.atl• ·to perstst tfll! d.l~t relations w,f..tb Af'aflanlstnra:• the usessm.e.nt ot ttu~ .8r1t1sh gov~• waa that there was i.lttle to be s;4ned. b)t t'I.U'tber cOJTespc:ta...... ~f,"U. "'WI>'

Russiafl dossre.

ln .face ot cu:reon•a ~sioDls~ torwar4 po11cy ....

la Pex-sia" 1'1bet and A.f~s'tartt bk pleD ot -~

Itandba» and his ~s1w ·dealSnes wJ.th Hablbt4lab,, the

ftussU\n move ~or :reJ.at1cm:s ~it.b Atghanlstae was simply

Russia agwe4 to cODside:r AtgbQAtstan as bel:tlg outa14e " '

its sphere o~ tbttuencec+ Atghan.lstao seeQ18 to htWe accepbed

such en agreement wl'tho\d ·atJ.r ... at pn.teat P~lpallJ

becau$e the &dVanee ot R.\U!Siatl.S 1J1 Ceatftl. Asia had made the M,....an rulers real.Lee tbe £mboJtance an4 the neoesst .. ,. ot •• ., . 26. 'Jf!". . '"'# . sucb an asre•••

Die AtgbGD tradlt!oa ot D~Usnmet* nsts oa tts

neutral policr, w1U.oh fu antedates the events tbat bav~

atven rise t;,o ttd.s '"•• •e e~abl,Shment and mrd.atenance

ot friendly ~lattcme wit.b all peoples an4 natiol)S am~ prc:ootton ct .tnternationa'l o~eratf.oa are· impo"aat taotora ill Uptd.atan* s tm:41t1oJa1 po11t!Qal beb.W1 ...

~e faot that .AcsJ.o .. ttsiml a4Yanee• ill tMs aJ:'OO;

wtl"e ~opped with Atsb.an.l.stan ~aJ.Q1ns a nat .ionol •&ty1 was the re.sUlt oz stleb tac\ors as b~ pognph~al sJ.t\latic:m, *he riwlry 'bet-.een Russia aml Britain, wb.ich preveat.e4\ the

Ol'le ~:taD a4vancirlg at the -.pense of the cttte%'-l and tbe •kill

ot AtsbaA auenna w:u-tare.

The aost important taotor to \C!J.eh A.tgitanlatan owe« her -.t1onal fluntwl_. however, was tbe skilful poUoy ot ber

rulers. fhe Ataban n;ders .tol.lQwed. a oonsolowi. polley1 flrst lomulated. t:1J Abdul. Rahman in tne late 1890s, whlch

rented. Ofl the premlse that Alghaa1atan nelstl~ wer'"

essentially bost:ll e and •• en terr.ttor.tal aM.e.KQ'Clon. fo

deter Ms nelgb:~ from aggresslQn• A.bdul Rabmar.a hUed on

19

a policy ot militant pewers wbt.

.&efore tfte t.a.t!ven'b ot aerJ.al wari'are., the mcuntatu ~ d.eserta ~ Atgbanf.s.tac were enough of a ~ier to di&eou.J'age .in'Vaden• lal'i$ bvading toxcee oota.tl not ,eastly sqppol"t theblSEJlVItS .Ia El CO\mtt:7 Wreft o1 ve.g(J't«hiofl•

'fbousancls ot transpol't :m!mals were required. to supply tbe

tNOpa an4 ke:ep open the ~tes of au.pplles. Xt wa~ relati-vely . &a$Y •ot- Brttala to ocC\lP)t certrd.n ·tey towns· 1n east-em and

south.- Ats)lantstan, -l'Mi;. it was di.t.t.!Qult t:o bold "thet:le areas against ~oroua attack by 14st~q td.~l t~em. ~o Angl.o•

Af&ban ~ showed th9t it waa easier tor 8rlta.bi to invade Algb,abtstan than it was to hol4 or ~•te tbe count..,.

Brltaift's ~r~ce may baw serYed as warnin& Glso to the Rwls.te GoftrntnEtt$,_ w!'deb; wee ·aot itl~setl by the pltm$ ot · some Russian mJJ.ltaxy oUlc1a1s te invade India. The perslstent

poUcr ot Af&baD rUl~ was that ootb&ng be done ttaat W0\44

allw oommmlcatiotl -. A:fsjlaftlstan to the -.tent ot facilltattrls tnvas!on bY Eore1gn amtes. fh.,-· ~:J.st-ed tne extQl1Stcm ot.

rallr-oad l!nes into .U«bafll.stan l:leeause these \':~Gt\14 ba.ve

weakened the ccmntr.v•aJ •val defence. Anotl\er Cactor Ulat hel·pef. Pn'1Y'ent1cm o:t toreigil

lo:vasion was the rival¥7 between Rt.tSs1a aad BrLtain. The

possess1on -~ Atghanista.n by one ot 'th-e two ,po-wea'!$ \'~Qlld brave . en&maered e1tbe.r ·tbe Br1tlsb hold 0'\mr Indla or- bela;• a

qonsol&datton in central Asith Rather than pemtt the othet-·

to f!Sta'bllsh .ltselt 1ft Atflti.Ullstan Britflin ad. Rusala ~e.

wUUns t~ accept .Utf.lM1$tan as a but.:ter betweert tbel:r t.o

emplms-. ~ to accODQ>llsti this; a 1~~ the tacl~~ oo""''pemtlon ot the J\lgban ruler wa~ required.. . .Afpa

nAers had the power ~o t;pt\~t etl1 an-attS$DEm.t b'E!tWtl!tn R\13s£a en4 &ritaill by .~~ one of· tbeu Ln ~ Qggt:ess..tvo all1ance

aaaJ.inst tbe other~ ~ome. British otttotals th~R".fore Sii'JJ.t S.t af! iaevi.table tbat Br1~tdn wotQ.t\ one day move Into A:fe)"la.ntgtan

and establish .heJ* .ft'sc£~U.ic •· .tront1el" tt1th ~s~~. nlOtti

tl'!O ~ge& ot· Hln~. Itasf'l. fbat Britain Jl$Yer t.Ud eo resulted An .no mnal1 part; trem the At{(hen rulera slr..lll· lft pl.~ Wtle.-.atate po11t!¢s ud ~1anQ1ft8 Russia en4 Britebl $ga1rlat

eaob o'th(tJJ•

!a a 44-X T; I G)) (~) ~ ~

A sfailar EU'lurce ot stren&'h .tor the .Alghaa rulers

was the di.stenoe ta ~nd.la ·Of Atgba;n or Pushta tribes, some ot wh

there esl.stedt hcwev$l"t a fl\JUaber rJt tater~ . tactora that 1n.fluenced Afghan n.Q.ers tc roenaa1n neutX'Gl

in·· cOft&tot o1 their relations with the o"tst.d.e 'WOrld. Most{

important· was the Islamic se.ntltttetit ot ttte At~ people .• Even so fomLdQble a nt\et' af.l AbdUl ftabman. coUld Dot a£.tor4

to dl!Q'egar4 this sent.taent. 1'-te mtr- bat!_ deteatri all bla

r1vaJSJ, b,e br9~e 1ae ~· ot Ulema atJ4 iZI.)tlbine4 ~bU.

persou th• temporal a!id. ~llgtows estQJ41sbmerits. BUt theM

1\48·-N lJ,mits even to b1s ~~s. ..Q>dU1 Rahman QoU).d not. pe~t

even m~rest $usp!f:101l that be ha~ l"eete.tve

a4v£s0Jr7, 1•Eh tturtns tbe time ot Abdul llabmna, but lt. gained. a ~e..-taJ.n measure Qt .t.fttl~mo.a a st.lbsequent yea·rs. A.'tth~ '~me Bt'i'ttsb wanderod W.bethe:r the _,_. was !V!Ul& the C::~$.1 or vtce-..vena1 it :eoon ~ame apparent that be was OJ!¢ tbe capt; 1ft ot al)Y' eli "Me• fhero was also the ~

~· or Great Qolll',lC1lt an as-=blJ of tritml leade•a an.4

p$r'Sc;,mtlit1ea ttran an parts. of tl;le oOtJ.ntry.- It co~ed. at ttme11 ot Mtl.tmal ce~y• &a £or eamPl.e tor· deelaratton ot· war• Al:thougb it was a .no·m~Q as~emh\y • tl~l.lrience abm~ad ·that. thi9 AT.:ts; al~~ suc\':Otld~d 1n ~.J.n3 1~t ove~ ~o

Me pot.nt of '\fit?#.-

~ms the re4gn ·td Ba~tNUah then app$n"!fJd a coal1UOD ot . natiQ'nQlS.tJ:tlQ ~oroes llbioh 1nclud.e41• on 'Cb$ one hand, the· · -tcul)s AfS1ad9,...... A.f!h.e stu.dents and see ·

!11l~ttu7 antt goveftJ!l~ o#1c~.als at ttal$1.1 eo ~tateil towards .the· pennna:U,t)r ot Matamud Tan1, th-eAr eb1et

Pro~st and ·t~te edt~o~ fJt the .S&.!!!j~~--&mlS. ~ atui1 o-

the ttth'1t~ h3Ddt the .tm:(i.ttlonal el,eme•s, the srullah$ QY.r~:\1

fl"onti~r trtbeii, wtto. ~~ 'In Nasl.\Jlla, tile '.tUeJ:r's bJtottu~.-,

· th~lr prot~tor mel bene,te;t;ttlr, 1he. lrttisb: soan d:lbb-et! thla

o.~.tt1on the f!War. ~· .'becaWJe ot tts uc U.nat.ton towards World war X• Ibis c~l.1tlon PUt· etmns pressllr.1t en ~"l~.\bullab

111-tt .it: CO\Utl nat OO.."'il'fhl.u~ twtm, that AftJ~.Mtt.:r(;aQ st~ .. 1ld 1J4:tl.ate a~,.,. agaJ.:ist Sr!.;taJ.n l'lit~~ maazJ.V# s~~po.rt ~ ~~

25

\1bat mS.tJ,sated the press-ares exe"ed on the Amir bf hiS CounoU-1 the lifll!' ~. the ~iri:tl&'b8 element Ol' an_y ~1al powrl'ul groupS was that theb lea4em

belonged to tb-e ~ establishmertC, aad th.e:re.tore, c0\44

;eot e:ltQeed certain U.'Ds as "h•f mn the. ast ot 4eatro)liltg themselves by dostro)"4ng their Nler.

ror wr:ioQs Jeasons:,, the OQmaercJ.al olass .11\

Atsh~an 41.4 aot __._ ~~ inGUSl

tbe provtrtoea were often ob:ecked b.v' Gove~s. ~e Klbg

centl!'OUttd. tbe :U.w o£ new weapons and amauDI:t.tons ~

Uke otbe;o At,P.an ~J.rl&S, "t1'«l mi.Utal'Y as a ol;u;s

d14 cat pose a .aertous ohal.le:~se ·~too the foreign rolat1ontl•

26

Tbat t..• .tor-e~ pollcJ ot Ue}lan Z\llera was G~l.rlen,ly suceQse:.l\4 -= in no iaall a=ount &10 to 'th9 ,pOpU].ur1ty1 ·ea30J'C4 b1 ncutra:li"J .-ems ·the At.fl}!e:a PeGPl e,. espec.tal17 tho Paeut~ald.11& .a~dty,. 1llho gave tbe~• wbole-hoartO

a a;ampl.e 1ft Jatematlonel a.iPlomaoY•

•• ao~twGJneak i,a all. the moJ;'!G .lmpnsslv~ m View o:t the geopo1J.tloalt c.atural, b&.stoneel an4 J)Ol1tloa1

taotora that !.nft.Utl'lOe A.fgbtmlstaats toretgn relat!ODB• Ita

ral.atlvelJ small stae,, c:ultUI'al oonse~'f:&on, ·land•look

isolation,. rel1glous o~.t-entation aDd ~e e·an,pesltlon have

4eot.s1veJ.p oondttloned !ts .foreign poU#J•

Despite these oanpt.S.•l•• Al"flwl £oretsn rt!latt=• ha9e been cond.\Jete4 wltb ~kai>le eons1s1$ett07• ~

J.atemal mad •e~ cbaases haw t.lO'l altvetl tbe co.re ot

requ.lremea;t;t;i tor natloml seo-W'ltJ and ec••"' 'f'1ab111ty~

11l•• tbe eontem:poary poU.Or ot po&itJ.w neilt.rautr on aear1v ell J.ateraat1oba1 ~s bad 1Jiimpao1: in tlte alootness .and

Uolattt.JDlscl praotlee4 be~Qii'••·

Tben ate three pbdes ,_ oontenpol"arY Atgba.ntste

£oretgtl policJJ"f (a) Xsol$tionl$11· (1980 1lo 1919); (11) Reutralisln

(1919 to 194&) •· and (o) Active lavolvemeat (1946· to ~.sent) •

('l) ~o:&taJMii!-.W!I.·~a ~~91.

l'AlriAs tbls per10d• .Amlr Abdul Rabmaa aDd .his

successor lfabibt41ab \'b'lted: to keep AI"'W.Sta.A alooll,._

the power J:t1'Valdea~ Abd\0. f\abman ·krlft tbat be owe4 hla

.~ to the Alct that tbe two SDP:~ -. awmt.a tm4

Br1tlah IMS.a -. were apJ'roaolllA& the 'bo'*N .of Afabmlstaa . erus tl1st be wt\$ tbere to teep •• ~· IIMSla• at a tlt1e, ~ 8bo· ba4 aet ret rmncb.xt ·tke Iamke ot fhNs, a~e4 to

I'CCognise this river os ttw sootberu llmlte ~ •••· 8Pb•l!'e· of lnkna~• lrltat.c., ~$ad1fts diJOCt o•tnt. over Ati#ltmletan ~t:7J.vo·amt. 4Utleult1 ~·•UJ.Jna ·~~cop\ an-~.

st~ tbOU&b .not too etftll& • Af~tm as a tarrleP to oODQ.Sot w~t.h 1\Qsals. a'lt.GID apeotec~ to- control Atgbaaiat:m

bU~. tJ7 penet~. the cowmry peaoetullJ tm4 oata14isld.tl,a u ADCuetce: ow• ·the Amlr, ber G~41aate allY• M the poUo£es ot 'tWo unpt.rca, deolsioa ~ '\13r am\ peace, art4 ACIJlOl'd.etrm'a ~ttenoe ~ on ee aoocbdll aa4 ,

co-opc~tim. of Ab

(1) Apssrtt.o~;t ,o'l. .lrlU118fl41MSI

Al)«hll Rahman ha4 always cQn81dere4 blmselt ttl•

ruler ot 1ndepm4enb At$banlttu., auf.4ed IJ7 his· pwsanal

bterests, whloh bee-ted witll Atgbant.stan':a .national

interests• ·He $001'1 began t• :lnte_,m hls contn.tltual

obligation not to ~ .t&ftll91 relatl

toe W0\114 lea4 ·to the ld.nd ot peacefUl penetration, rea\ll.t~ :rom an. ~· o:t Wtequal· partDe_... Jt. waJJ Abdld. flablaant·e achievement to 'resist the tttriendl.y embrace•,

to p~t Brit'* 1ntlueace .tnn aettlfts a hold in -bis dOJDalft wlthout &o.fA&- to ~h., point ot prcwotU.s Dr1ta!rl to

destroy iter· reluatnnt al17• HiS aueoese in md.utaintng tble

we~ GUtuoe _. isolat-.tna hltns.U trom his ~panner was a

maUJ. taoto¥" ln 1;be Amt.~s prenet"Wtlon of bls lU.

. esistence ot strong lslerD1o states Gl.ong R\1St&i.q1$ southern borders •.

ttt~ore.,, the lslam~ atates tX7J,as to presewe

tttelf' :IIJ.d.ependenoe, bade oomrauatty of interest \dtb B.r1taitl

ad waftt~Jd to Seek he~ alllMCih

S$noe lfttaln was also an absOJ9biq powel' l1tdcM

.Glsht J";!SPQnd to Russian agl'eseloa by helpf.Ag hwself to a port1cm o£ t:he lald ot the Xslaldo statea, a fJmiddl·e course" POltCJ' l'JaS requlftd 1 Gn dl.ienco wLth Britain;. blt ~ that

woUld. lead. to ,f.ftt~tona hostWt7 to Ra.ts•.ta, but not to an

ut• ee would restat ift. p....,okUa$ agnss1e; pNServatloa. of an equUlbrlum wttich WOtU4. Ptflll1t Atiltanlsten ~o remalft

~dependent it GOt· ndNl•

Abd.la ~·a relations wltb tbe lltON or loss

independent M~l.&m populat"ns ot the East were Wl"lortce4

· b.1 ~lslam1c ci)J)StderatlMs• Sin$$ AtatJ.antaton was one ot the tw J"e'Jlalnin&- MpaUa dates ·wbicb had not .lalla U:Ddu

ttlreo* foreign co.n'CirOl,. the captive J.1usl1ms 1b aentml Asfa

and Inaa were 1oold.n& to ber tor s'*J)pon an4 W0\114 be fler ante• it oalled to 41bd•; ~- gae strength, an4 g&"/e stl'e&~h to . otbe!'St At8Ji~iU'l ha.4 to promote the cause ot Pan•

ialamilm•

Abdall Rebman tOJallulated. Us opf.ntM about Rusdarl

1atenttone durifti IdA l61lg Central Aa&a .Uet ro ~.

Busslait policy was essent.lallJ that ttJ.i.shtl1 or lft'Ol1&1Y1

~r1endly or un£rtelldl.Yt with peace, or war, the Islamto ld.ngdan$ e,or-d' be washed away from the f11t0e ot. Asiatic

cont~ ~· Ruuta e11a~ ~ed to abswb etl4 swa.UO\f Persia,. !ru.tkeV «n4 Atgballlstan or alt.am~e1y te o-.4\rl thel_.

trleAdShtp and. dlaw them to berselt• i\\U~i tbls, She \fO\lld. an;ua• them apjaat BrS:taa, witll the ~ult that Aft. tk

HablblOlab 414 tbe rest in making At&bentst:a!l from

largoly a natGral butter •o a JHA1tloal oae a$ w11.. He

resisted tbe Br1*l6b pressu:ree Go S\lecesstlilllF P to get

~Wnsel.- recoplae4 ~ tn4e~ndeni ~Una ot .Ugb~tan ln the treaty o:t 1905. H.ts diplomacy Ja tbe \fake Q~ the Convent;ion

ot 1901 neUtraUsed ·the sitl.latiorh Re alSo thw:rted attt!mpt$ '

ot both llr'i~atll an4 RussSa itt settins any untowal'd oonc esslone ~s~.

tb.ls· ohaift of ·~s perfect·ed Al4#um1stan as a zteal

bUtter· nate,_ att4 policy ot teolet 1.oDblrl ended wttel'J Rabllllllah rema"'*' neutral, des:pite the Getman an,4 turkiab ove,.tU'es.

~t •• boweve~* left to Anantalah t(t

to 1:)e completely .free ln tbe oonduct of lfttematicml

relationth As .a tirst step, the Amlr appot.nted. J.tohat:nma4,

W~l K'ban to be the Ae-an represetttatlw at Bokhnra.t Amamlllab intended to continue bis sbow ol 1ndepeil4ence and..

tc1t1ated &oussions mIlls councu f'QJt the selection ot- an am•tJsa.dor :tor p_.~a.

fhe retat_f.onS With .!r1tnin - itr

. lhe fb11"4 Atfl,han War c:an a,e at'&ftb\lted to the

Qhange sa 1atem.at1oMl sltWJtJ.on u mwb as 1t was 4ae to sw:h tactors as .At§\an !rredet$Lam,, ~Islamlam an,d tea:r

''

oZ Brlt1$h aggn.sa.ton. file &atemat.lOJ.'Ial scene heel ohMlg$4

ntd!.Cal1f at 't:be u4 of the war.. 11\e Rusaia'h. Reftlul~~~

ettde

When ArnanUllab ucenc.ted. the th:ctme• tb.e pclt.tlcal

olimate at ltalNl had. changed, Ideas og demOCJQOl't

natlonallsm,: Islamic s.,_ldari"'• SGJ.I-Attemtnatioa QQ4

.s,claltsm ba4 penetrate4 Into Ati/Jlatd.staa.. fht ~=

Bs!!!ta£ with 4.1;(1 aailonaltsts tenoJ~" brouabt nw '«ea• ato th• QGUn\17 and broke the 1nte11eetual ·~solation o£ Atgbard.stan.

the Atpu ;people J~eCJame Javo1Ye4 lrl tbe .tasues ot 'the day.;

1;he tate ol Islam and the; tate of theJ.• OWA natJ.oa,.

wttb the ~14 e=onca1~ and tn•t~Jtrlal changes,

.Argb.atl monne~ be-gan to th~ .$n teJ~mS ·of SGQlo-teoncmJ.o

sumval• once; AmallUU.$ll•t £otte:lgn. ~~- were over• ' - ':'·

natiOl'lalism •4 n:~oroaress was. 41srupte4 at a t~e \4len tht AtS)lene • tnte.rest ·a· t'or&ifPl

lda&lstft.al goods was ~ ~ fasts .. tbatl th• atd.l1tr' to ~Ian\tfacture .011 theb' tJ\Iila• nesi>tte tniJJ, PNSsunJ

o1 ;toreisn powers on AtgtuwJ..staft remalne4 WlChaqe4 wftb

ttG Jl.SUt.t'allsm at24 ptlopfll t.

eneraet1c trad.tns e:na. assiStali9~ l9' ~Several west-em cO\m.'tr~s 11ke weat Qemeny11 France,. Br and. tbe UJU.te:4 .~al) ao;uw..to alGG ·oft'~. 8fJSt1JttanQ•-.

,

!lhe pro:t>l~ ot Pusbt:tmiste_n. •• an Smportar.m lsa\lo ia Af&b~ toretga ltl.)li;;y. fte quest.f.«m ot re\fla1on ot the Durand

IJ.ne ~weart BP.!ttsb -lt\4tp. rand. At~•n and the -.4 to~

an ln~dent nata ot.~btl#.\istan wartt mlxe4 ~ «(; thll t~

ot ~~itS,~-, ot Br1t1.a :tlldlth Ugllanitttan was .llOt li~p)'t wttb tbe e;d.stlt'lg tntemat:l,onal ~tler an4 ha4 al:wap obei'A.she4

the hopes of amal._pJr.atlon· ot &(MQ· of these areaa even tnto her

'' 'tt~MI~>X7•· S!Dce !t wa11 nO't G4eeptablo to tb• &r1tt.eb-·.

AfgbG,bistml stel"ted SUppol'tin~J Ute demand .tot" an b'ldQpoiJ~:t $bate ot PushtunlstQn• late~. 1t was e-o.rrttnuwsly pursae4 at thQ Untted ltqttone: ana the NOJ;l• align~ c~eren~es;.