dear sivaram k,It was well said! The history is full of such could have beens. We have to see the merits based on the situations prevailing then. Not that they dont know. At that period also there should have been able ministers to counsel their kings but the dogged determination , the poverty that possibly prevailed in Afganistan, the allurement of the riches here, the eternal rivalry of kings over trivialities all were perhaps contributory factors. But we doggedly refuse to learn lessons from history where the failure is very costly. But again, like the Kargil they should not sleep and keep an eternal vigil and be prepared to sacrifice quite a few soldiers in the process in the biting cold. All these looted treasure where they went? Ultimately to fill the coffers of the British I presume. Like Syamanthakamani changing hands in Bhagavatham.