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The article discusses the British Empire in Asia, focusing on battles which were intended to prevent the Russian Empire from dominating the continent. Aspects of these events which may be relevant to the 21st century Afghan War are emphasized. It is noted that the reputation of Afghanistan as a graveyard for empires is exaggerated. British forces which invaded Afghanistan in the 19th century, like Soviet forces in the 20th, inflicted far more casualties than they suffered and left in an orderly fashion, after determining that the country was not worth occupying. The adventures of Colonel Francis Younghusband in Tibet in the first decade of the 20th century are also recounted, as an edifying instance of the perils of success.