is there a possibility that the argument that was made for many years by many people that afghanistan could never be quelled, it could never be governed safely and securely, that they were always right for 20 years? i don't buy that, and the history of afghanistan suggests that isn't so. there were long periods when afghanistan was governed peacefully, under the late king, zahir shah, and his father. many people, i don't know whether you did it, did the hippy trail. no. that will not come as a huge revelation to people. i don't suppose they had manchester united fan shops in afghanistan. they probably do now. you know, it was a well governed, peaceful place, you know, women and girls went to school and university. there were civil servants and so on. you know, it was a pretty uninteresting and relatively prosperous town — country. the main argument it