I didn't mind this. Was it actually more about India than Afghanistan do you think? There was something about the Kafiristan people being more English than the English that reminded me of comments made about Indians under British rule.
It was interesting that Kipling chose two distinctly biblical images in the ejection of our rogues from Kafiristan. The beheading of one, a little like John the Baptist - the head is later presented to the narrator, and the crucifixion of the other - proclaimed more a God because he survived the act. Given that they had set themselves up as gods, I found this quite interesting.
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