Polaris  

A corrupt, undemocratic regime supported by the United States is assailed by a well-organized, ideologically-driven force of compatriots receiving considerable external support. The country is considered a strategic backwater, with a weak history of independent centralised rule. The United States, under the command of a popular and charismatic general, leads a large multinational force to counter the offensive, resulting in thousands of casualties. But after decades of continued American military presence, under largely peaceful conditions, a state emerges that is among the most stable, prosperous and democratic in its region.

Does this sound like a fantastic scenario for the future of Afghanistan? In fact, it is exactly what occurred in Korea beginning in 1950. The Vietnam War may have successfully retained its monopoly as a historical parallel to Afghanistan in popular discourse, but spare a thought for what came to pass two decades earlier on the Korean Peninsula. Despite the atrocities that took place and the immense loss of life on both sides (not to mention the unsavory leaders supported without question for years by Washington) the lessons of Korea offer a more reassuring—and arguably more apt—guide to the future of Afghanistan.