nobody has ever been able to control Afghanistan for any period of time.
Very true, and this was the case well before the advent of Islam, too:
- like so many since, the Graeco-Macedonian armies of Alexander the Great (circa 332 BC) conquered the place, but never held it for very long.
In his arrogance, George W. Bush probably figured he was somehow different. (Or perhaps in his ignorance, he had no knowledge of Afghanistan's long track record of chewing up invaders, and then spitting them out?)
Bill