It would be interesting to know whether any of our Strategic masters, both civilian and military, have bothered to read the Russian General Staff Report, The Soviet-Afghan War (How a Superpower Fought and Lost) translated and edited by Grau and Gress, 2002.
It pretty comprehensively sets out most of the pitfalls and problems associated with an invasion to prop up an unpopular (or irrelevant) regime in the area...a not dissimilar situation to the one UK PLC may well be facing within a year.
It makes very interesting and disturbing reading. On a lighter note Flashman (George MacDonald Fraser) seemed to have a good handle on the problems associated with Afghanistan, they mostly revolved around incompetent Civil Servants, Politicians, Policy and Generalship...
Mr R