Afghanistan's story is tragic. The war-torn and besieged country has been invaded countless times in its long history. Past conquerors include Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and the British Empire twice in the 19th century. It is a country that has been beset by incursion, external pressure and internal disorder since approximately 637 - 809 AD when Arabs introduced Islam to the country. The people, Afghanis, have endured more than most can imagine. "In fact, all that has changed in the last one thousand years are the weapons which have been used against so many of them." (Afghanistan Online, 2005, Chronology Part 1).

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