Re: Adam Smith on the Afgan War

["Ian Murray" <seamus2001@xxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "michael perelman" <michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pen-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, December 25, 2001 9:01 PM
>Subject: [PEN-L:20925] Adam Smith on the Afgan War


> Wealth of nations: V.i.a.44, p. 708: "In modern war the great
expence of
> fire-arms
> gives an evident advantage to the nation which can best afford that
> expence; and consequently, to an opulent and civilized, over a poor
> and barbarous nation.  In ancient times the opulent and civilized
> found it difficult to defend themselves against the poor and
> barbarous nations.  In modern times the poor and barbarous find it
> difficult to defend themselves against the opulent and civilized.
> The invention of fire-arms, an invention which at first sight
> appears to be so pernicious, is certainly favourable both to the
> permanency and to the extension of civilization."
>
> Note: Actually he was a bit premature seeing what happened to the
Brits
> in their efforts there.
>
============
The US military has been playing John Hawkwood for the House of Saud
tooooooooooooo long.

Ian