Borders

I thought to check on the borders of Afghanistan this morning, with the map above summarising the result. Shia Iran to the west, that is to say to the left. Pakistan to the south. Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikstan to the north. India might just about get in through disputed Kashmir, but I think not. China does get in to the east, through the narrow Wakhan Corridor, a device invented by us British at the end of the 19th century to put a stop to Russian ambitions to push even further south. The Great Game of Buchan stories. I dare say Kipling too. A very hilly, not to say mountainous, part of the world. The southern border of Afghanistan is maybe 500km north of the seaside, not a huge distance in the context of a huge place like the Imperial Russia of old.

Not so long ago Turkmenistan, Uzebekistan and Tajikstan all formed part of the Soviet Union, and one imagines that Putin and Russia still have plenty of interests and influence there.

I don't suppose that any of these places are very keen on more militant Islam. Enough problems of their own already and they are not going to want that that sort of thing on their doorstep.