Afghanistan: Reflections from a “Trip of a Lifetime” (Literally) in 1978

 

While I know otherwise, I often find myself wondering if the name “Afghanistan” comes from some ancient word for “tragedy.”

Afghanistan is in the headlines yet again — swiftly, and with almost no resistance, taken over by Taliban overlords, who envision a medieval-style caliphate. To someone of my generation, this weekend’s events feel like déjà vu from a lifetime of watching that troubled corner of the world. First, in a decade of warfare that spanned nearly the entire 1980s, Afghanistan hob...