Thursday, July 08, 2021

Socialist Sonnet No. 41

 Afghan Hounding

 

Many an ambition, many a plan

The British Raj made in its pomp and power,

To occupy, pacify, Afghanistan;

Only, the Afghans refused to cower.

The thin red line did whatever it could,

But the empire’s never setting sun, set.

Soviets sent men, migs and tanks, and yet

The mark they made was in spilled Russian blood.

Then the US and its poodle NATO

Would vanquish locals driven to extremes,

But made a nightmare of their martial dreams

And, as with Vietnam, had to withdraw.

Each campaign pursued a predictable course,

Proving peace cannot be cultured by force.

 

D. A.

 

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