Product Description
The untold story of Hamid Karzai's dramatic rise to the presidency of Afghanistan and the problems he and his country face

In 2004, Hamid Karzai was elected president in Afghanistan's first-ever democratic election. Today, criticized for indecisiveness and targeted for assassination by extremists, President Karzai struggles to build on the country's modest post-Taliban achievements before civil unrest undermines his government.

Now, author Nick Mills draws on months of candid personal interviews with the charismatic Afghan president to offer a revealing portrait of the figure known to millions by his familiar uniform of karakul cap and long green chappan. Timely and compelling, Karzai tells the fascinating story of a unique leader with a keen intellect, a natural gift for storytelling, and a presidency in peril. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Solid Effort.
While the book does a good job setting the stage on the man known as Karzai, it would have been nice to be exposed to some of the other relationships he has with the folks he currently has running the country.

Karzai on Karzai.Not much objectivity.
This is a decent book about a decent man.But rather than providing any penetrating analysis of the leader of one of the world's most volatile and critical states, Nick Mills provides a sugar-coated and overly simplistic story, reducing its utility significantly.

The perspective provided is effectively Hamid Karzai on Hamid Karzai.The text is based in quotes from the author's interviews with Karzai followed by some supporting paragraphs from the author.Mills seems to have spoke with no one but Karzai.He does not quote Karzai's family, friends, aides, associates, rivals, or critics.The book, published in the fifth year of Karzai's rule over Afghanistan, does not provide the reader with any insight into the complexity of Karzai, his internal conflicts and perhaps contradictions.

There are glaring omissions regarding Karzai's life:

- The reader is provided a cursory mentioning of Karzai's long-standing relationship with the Central Intelligence Agency.A deeper study of Karzai's ties with U.S. intelligence in the 1980s (and perhaps more importantly in the 1990s) would be beneficial.

- Karzai's break with the Taliban is presented to be too clean and neat.Alternative sources suggest otherwise.

- Mills fails to look at Karzai's close partnership with Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan American and former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan under Karzai.Khalilzad, in other sources, is reported to have spoken with Karzai twice-daily and effectively set Karzai's agenda (serving, in a sense, as a de facto chief of staff). Moreover, their relationship goes back to the 1980s to the Afghan jihad and Khalizad is alleged by some to have been instrumental in securing Karzai's election as president.Their friendship is an important story untold.

- Mills asks no questions regarding allegations of Karzai's relationship with foreign oil companies that, at the very least, reached out to the Taliban.

- There's no discussion of the allegations that Karzai's brother, Wali, is involved in the drug trade.

A critical analysis of the NATO-led operation in Afghanistan only comes at the end, in the book's epilogue.We see some criticism of Afghan culture, even from Karzai.And that's helpful, but very weak.Karzai's Afghan nationalism is admirable.It's very much what his country needs.But all too often he blames foreigners for his country's problems.And while that might stir up Afghan nationalism, it won't help the landlocked gain peace with its neighbors.

Finally, there are a few errors in the text.Balochistan is erroneously described as being part of Pakistan's tribal areas (pp.52).It's actually one of its four provinces.Also, a quote from Karzai gives the impression that the drug trade flourished under the Taliban.The group actually significantly reduced opium cultivation.The opposite can be said for Karzai's government.Indeed, many of its officials (ranging from low to senior level) benefit from the drug trade.

Useful study of unwinnable war
Nick Mills was field director of Boston University's Afghan Media Project when he first met Hamid Karzai. For three months in 2005, he interviewed Karzai, now Afghanistan's president. Neither mentioned Karzai's role as consultant for US oil firm Unocal, or his support for the Taliban in 1996.

Mills observes that throughout the 1980s most US aid to Afghanistan went to the fundamentalists who became the Taliban. Yet the Afghan people rejected the Taliban before Western ground forces intervened in 2001.

As Mills writes, "The rapid defeat of the Taliban in 2001, and the countrywide celebration of their ouster, calls into question the need for the large contingent of coalition forces ..." He regrets the huge civilian casualties due to USAF and RAF bombing and suggests that Afghan regional forces `would have been more successful in keeping the Taliban at bay than the Western coalition has been'.

Mills states that Bush's decisions `have consistently undermined the security of Afghanistan'. He let bin Laden escape, heroin production has soared, rebuilding has stalled and most aid money goes to Western `consultants' and corrupt officials.

Mills concludes that occupation by NATO forces and private security firms is fuelling national resistance: NATO's intervention is failing.

Intriguing on all levels
This book gives the reader an honest look at the levels of intrigue that exist when the U.S. tries to "promote democracy" on foreign soil.It also gives a wonderful portrait of a leader who is trying to maintain the integrity of his nation against incredible odds.This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the politics of the war on terror and for anyone who has already forgotten that the war on terror began in Afghanistan.At times the book sweeps the reader up in stories that could be in a thrilling action/adventure novel -- but remember: this is real and current history in the making.

Informative
Hamid Karzai comes across as an intelligent man, rooted in his culture yet committed to restoring normalcy to his country by pulling it up by its bootstraps from feudalism into modernism. A man aware of the window of opportunity he has to achieve his objectives. Although not explicitly stated, one senses between the lines the disappointment Karzai must feel for being left out in the cold by the US in favor of Iraq.
The language is straightforward and simple. The book can be read in a few hours. Much of the information is known but there are nuggets that bring the man himself, an alien culture and country closer to a Western reader. If read in combination with Rory Stewart's ethnographic travelogue of his month-long walk across Aghanistan "The Spaces In Between", the reader will have a framework for evaluating US policy and actions on the ground in Afghanistan.
I have just given the book as a gift. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Afghan/Soviet War: Pakistani General view
Afghan/Soviet War books can be broken up into a finite set of subjects.Personal/First Person Journalist account, War tactics or High level political/war analysis.

This book is squarely in the last category.A view of the war as described by the Pakistani ISI Brigadier General who ran it.

Regardless of the fact that the book is very one-sided, biased and self-promotional; I found the book invaluable as a reference on how the Pakistani's ran the war.From Supply chain, US politics, right to on-the-ground tactics; the General goes over everything.At some points admitting Government secrets (That had probably been unclassified by print time).

An excellent book, well written, and interesting.The book even reviews at a tactical level, many battles you can read in "The Other Side of the Mountain".I would suggest anyone who reads this, also read books written by the Soviets to get an even picture. ... Read more

Product Description
The 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States formed part of the larger legacy of American interaction in Afghanistan. From the end of World War II onward, American foreign policy had a significant impact on the conflicts that marked the 20th-century history of this troubled land. The role of the United States was magnified by the violence of the ongoing internal ethnic struggles and the external machinations of the superpower Cold War rivalry. In line with the aims of the series, this book: presents a historical overview of the causes and legacy of Afghanistan's internal conflict; explores the role and influence of the actors involved, including the various ethnic and religious groups and external powers such as the United States and the Soviet Union; and provides the framework for a broader exploration of US policy toward Afghanistan. "A Bitter Harvest" concludes with an assessment of US policy and policy recommendations. ... Read more

Product Description
"Canada's history has been a long, fascinating, and very independent evolution, in marked contrast to the violence that typifies the United States's story. Most Americans know embarrassingly little about their northern neighbor's unique history, from its first sighting by the Norse to its full confederation in 1922 to today's social democracy. Now, in the wake of NAFTA and the Quebec crisis, an understanding of the forces that have driven Canada's development over the last 400 years is more important than ever. A Brief History of Canada fills the gap with an authoritative narrative history that combines solid reference value with helpful analysis."--BOOK JACKET. "With more than 20 photographs and eight maps. A Brief History of Canada is an enlightening introduction to the nation and its people."--BOOK JACKET. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Exactly what I was looking for
This book is great, exactly what I was looking for!
I was looking for a brief history of Canada, guess what I got? Exactly!

The book starts with the earliest ages of Canada population, than gradually moves through time until present day. If you are looking for a history book, than this is what you want.
I noticed that people who gave grade 1 to this book are very dissatisfied because the author is writing bad things about USA, but this is just not true.
I really like how the book is organized. It was a very good investment.

Boring!
I agree with "Painful." I am so disappointed in this book. Facts, figures, and no life. But it wasn't a total loss; I learned about the Metis, a group of people descended from Indians and French trappers who forged a unique culture with French and Aboringinal elements. With their leader, Louis Riel, they rebelled against the Canadian government in the 1880s and set up their own (short-lived) independent country!

Painful
My husband is Canadian and since we have discussed moving there to live in the near future, I decided I should do at least a little preliminary research on Canadian history.Where better to start than with a book entitled, "A Brief History of Canada," right? Ooooh noooo! For the person only interested in the barest facts, and those mostly involving consitutional history, this is the book for you.It's very encyclopedic and heavily focused on how the political structure of Canada got to where it is today.Not the meat and blood and bones of it all, not the blood, sweat, and tears; just the dull legality and "who's who" of it all.If you want to know that the maritime provinces hang together in self defense and that the French and English cultures blend about as well as vinegar and oil, you've got it in Mr. Riendeau's book.Personally I find that aspect of modern history stultifying.Although I'm aware that Canadian history does without a Revolution or a Civil War, I can't believe there is no human drama involved.The book is painfully dull and emotionally sterile.

O CANADA!(To be sung to non-Canadians only.)
Suppose you had to write an entire history of America in fewer than three hundred pages, including maps and photos, and aimed at readers who know nothing about it. Where would you start??@The founding of Jamestown? The centuries before that? How many pages would you devote to the Civil War and its causes? To the changes in everyday life?@brought about by the railroads?To the Depression? What would you leave out? What very complex and controversial issues like the Civil Rights Movement would you have to simply gloss over? Not easy, huh? Yet, this is exactly the task that Riendeau sets out to accomplish for the history of Canada.And for the most part he succeeds!

Riendeau begins his tale with a geographic survey of the land and shows that, logically speaking, the different parts that make up present-day Canada could never have joined together to form a country in the first place. Then he proceeds to tell us how that happened anyway. And while he is relating such events as the struggle between the French and British Empires for control of the land, confederation of the provinces, etc., he also gives us accounts of the War of 1812 as seen from Canadian eyes, and the influences of the American Civil War on the framing of Canada?fs ownConfederation.

Now look, I?fm an American who has earned a B.A. in Modern World History, has traveled extensively to many other countries (though not Canada), and spends several hours a day reading newspapers. Before I read this book, I was sure I already knew Canada.Riendeau quickly annihilated that conceit with a fascinating barrage of facts,events, and social trends I?fd never heard of right down to the very humbling tidbit that Mary Pickford-- Hollywood?fs top star of the early silent movie era?@and proudly known nationwide as ?gAMERICA?fs Sweetheart?h--was in reality a Canadian!

Okay, so this book is strictly Canadian History 101 to be laughed at by Canadians.But if all you've taken so far is Canadian History 000 like me, then this book forms a delightful introduction to the subject.And now Riendeau has got me eager to sign up for Canadian History 102.Not bad for so short and relatively easy a read!

History???-----A doctoring so shameless, it's beneath that
Honestly, I tried to look at the more redeeming qualities of it, like the perversely detailed history of canada�s fur trade, the Bay company and the 1900�s section, but I found a plethora of errors on so many different levels. In actuality, a colleague of mine, a history professor no less, and I got together to discuss the various parts of the book. We hold intellectual debating sessions at times; it�s sort of an acquired taste. Nevertheless, we got to talking, and we found some unforgivably glaring holes in the reasoning.
First, it contests that Americans �know embarrassingly little� about Canada. Truthfully, canada�s history is severely uneventful, and, even more importantly, for modern day applications (from the industrial age forward), according to the book itself, Canada is actually the one who has contributed embarrassingly little in terms of advancements, inventions and in economic and infrastructural power. You know, all just the most basic factors that establish the worth, reputation and honor of a land. Certainly, this is displayed in more concise works by other Canadian authors, like Ferguson, where in one of his books he writes that if you ask people of other greater nations what makes their country great, that they would then cite historical contributions and such�yet if you would ask a rural Canadian the same question, they would then ragingly point to another useless UN survey as the false and quaint proof.
Another offensive misrepresentation of mythic proportions is the cover-up that Canada�s history is less bloody. From the massacres of countless Indian people, to british and French wars, this direct lie does nothing but conspire with canadians� bloodthirsty and needy wish to view themselves as �less violent� than the states. If you ask me this hurts the credibility from a book that claims to write a �history of Canada�, by straightforwardly oppressing more hypocritical myths as the text of this book. ... Read more

Product Description
In the wake of the attacks of 11 September 2001, and during the ensuing invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, much has been heard of the concept of 'asymmetric warfare'. Broadly speaking, this describes a means of fighting through which a weaker power can offset or neutralize the strengths of a more powerful opponent by applying its own strengths to its opponent's weaknesses. Frequently, it is used to describe situations in which formal state power is confronted by non-state or guerrilla activity. Afghanistan features as the focus of this book's investigation since the country has recently been at the hub of confrontations which have borne immediately on current international concerns. It has also, for more than a century and a half, been the arena for a series of conflicts between imperial powers on the one hand and state and non-state power structures on the other. Afghans, moreover, have not changed their spots: they remain basically the same, in terms of personality and society, as they were when they were first described by a British envoy, Mountstewart Elphinstone, at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Since that time, the confrontations with which Afghanistan was involved have not only brought repeated misery upon its people, but have had ramifications of an international character. This book deals with each of the five conflicts in which Afghanistan has been embroiled during this time span, namely the First, Second and Third Anglo-Afghan Wars, the Soviet invasion and the most recent American-led operations. ... Read more

Product Description
In this volume, historian Milan Hauner brilliantly links the lessons of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan with the East/West political struggles of today. Masterfully, he demonstrates the geographical and historical predicates of Russian imperialism in Asia. His analysis focuses on the failed military campaign in Afghanistan and Soviet diplomacy in Southwest Asia as a whole. The results are impressive. The reader is given the advantage of a fuller historical spectrum, and can better grasp the true shape of the present. More importantly, the reader can look into the future. From this vantage point, the constraints, possibilities, and obligations of U.S. diplomacy become more clear. Co-published with the Foreign Policy Research Institute. ... Read more

Product Description
'A Brief History of Guerrilla Warfare in Afghanistan' is a short piece -- just under 4,000 words, focusing on the development of guerrilla warfare in the highly volatile nation of Afghanistan.This work also examines the dedication of the Taliban, and their effectiveness as guerrilla fighters. ... Read more

Product Description
"America had a secret weapon," writes Steve Call of the period immediately following September 11, 2001, as planners contemplated the invasion of Afghanistan. This weapon consisted of small teams of Special Forces operatives trained in close air support (CAS) who, in cooperation with the loose federation of Afghan rebels opposed to the Taliban regime, soon began achieving impressive--and unexpected--military victories over Taliban forces and the al-Qaeda terrorists they had sponsored. The astounding success of CAS tactics coupled with ground operations in Afghanistan soon drew the attention of military decision makers and would eventually factor into the planning for another campaign: Operation Iraqi Freedom.

But who, exactly, are these air power experts and what is the function of the TACPs (Tactical Air Control Parties) in which they operate? Danger Close provides a fascinating look at a dedicated, courageous, innovative, and often misunderstood and misused group of military professionals.

Drawing on the gripping first-hand accounts of their battlefield experiences, Steve Call allows the TACPs to speak for themselves. He accompanies their narratives with informed analysis of the development of CAS strategy, including potentially controversial aspects of the interservice rivalries between the air force and the army which have at times complicated and even obstructed the optimal employment of TACP assets. Danger Close makes clear, however, that the systematic coordination of air power and ground forces played an invaluable supporting role in the initial military victories in both Afghanistan and Iraq. This first-ever examination of the intense, life-and-death world of the close air support specialist will introduce readers to a crucial but little-known aspect of contemporary warfare and add a needed chapter in American military history studies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Amazing!
As a member of our USAF and knowing several TACP Airmen, this book really put into light what exactly TACP's really are. So many people forget about how Air on Armour happens and its about time the ROMADS get the credit they rightfully deserve.

Awesome Book
So, I bought this book for a friend who is a ROMAD. He recently crossed trained into the job and thought it would be an interesting read since he will be deploying overseas in the future. I hadn't planned on reading the book myself. But as soon as I got it, I couldn't help but open it up and read it, and I'm glad I did.This book is awesome. It has helped me understand what he's doing and what he's talking about when we talk about his job. It makes me realize what a great asset he is to the military and how special he is to be doing what he always wanted. This book shows the obstacles and triumphs that TACP has had to overcome over the years. I have true appreciation for thier duties. I totally recommend this book!

All about TACP's
Okay, it looks like I'm the first to review this thing and it's a pretty good read. As a younger TACP, I found this book very informative. The author is a former Air Laison Officer. The author briefly talks about our "twilight worlds" where we're "held at arms length by the Air Force" and "not fully embraced by the Army" that we live with everyday. This book, at times, reads like a collection of events from the initial invasions of both Afghanistan and Iraq told by TACP's in their own words. Among the numerous topics covered are the virtues of Close Air Support, the difference CAS makes on the battlefield, how TACP's are often misused by the Army, how reluctant the Army is to use TACP's, how CAS has saved the Army numerous times, and how TACP's always improvise and overcome obstacles to do our job. It talks about our fallen brothers and their sacrifices. It addresses the problems within the job and how in the past of TACP's, we were largely ignored before the war and how the future needs to be better as the battlefield evolves into the Joint atmosphere. There're about 2-3 years of war covered in the book, so it's a lot to address here. If you're a TACP, ALO, Army officer, or anyone curious as to what TACP's are or have done in the last two wars, buy this book. The book doesn't really offer any real solutions to the TACP problems it mentions, but I guess if you you at least identify the problem, that's a good start.

Quiet Professionals
This was an exellent look into an Air Force most Airmen do not even know about.The book was well written and provides a look at how all of those bombs fall on time on target.

The TACP's are smart, dedicated, Airmen that find ways to get air cover over our ground forces and save counless lives.More books like Danger Close need to be written about our forces that show the heroes that our men really are.

Great Book
This is really a great book, hard to put down at times.You can see the battles through the eyes of the people that were there.You also get their perspective as well as the importance of the techniques that they are using, and in some cases developing for the first time.This is a must have for anyone interested in knowing the real story behind the overwhelming success in the initial days of Afghanistan and Iraq. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
The war on Iraq didn't begin with the lethal pyrotechnics of Shock and Awe, and it didn't end with George W. Bush's made-for-TV aircraft landing. Undetected by the mainstream press, the US campaign against Iraq began many years before, featuring cruel sanctions, weekly bombardments, and assassinations. With Saddam deposed, the US now finds itself mired in a grinding occupation, its troops under constant attack with no exit in sight.

Iraq was just one of three major imperial crusades in the last decade, orchestrated by a new generation of American politicians, both Democrat and Republican, who backed pre-emptive strikes to overthrow unruly regimes in Yugoslavia and Afghanistan under the pretext of humanitarian intervention.

Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair reported on these wars as they happened. Years ahead of the pack, they exposed the economic motives behind the wars and how fraudulent intelligence, a spaniel press corps, a servile United Nations, and corporate propaganda techniques were used to sell them to the public.

Imperial Crusades chronicles the lies that are now returning almost daily to haunt the liars in Washington and London, the secret agendas and the under-reported carnage of these wars. It is a ripely vivid, blow-by-blow commentary from Cockburn and St. Clair, and regular CounterPunch writers such as the late Edward Said, former marines Chris White and Scott Cossette, historians Gary Leupp and Doug Lummis, psychologist Carol Norris, economist Paul de Rooij, human rights lawyer Joanne Mariner, and former senior CIA analysts Bill Christison and Ray McGovern. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Fine Account of the Empire
Generally speaking, this account lives up to the high standards of CounterPunch's usual work: timely, witty, committed, and analytically sophisticated. It's main drawback is that it won't be anything new to those who have paid attention, and its undoubtedly small printrun, non-corporate marketing budget, and invisibility to an establishment press (that it critiques so well) will limit its distribution and appeal--which is a great misfortune. That said, it is an excellent place to start for those who need basic data and smart interpretations of current events.

Otherwise, I find it necessary to correct the review below of S. Frantzman, who utters numerous distortions about Cockbrun & St. Clair's work. I will take Frantzman (who in his other reviews and lists appears to advance an extremely belligerent ultra-zionist, pseudo-islamophobic ideology, by the way) point for point.

Frantzman: "This is a book based on opinion [...] America simply took over Iraq."

Me: Of course it's based on opinion; as writing is a human endeavor, it is impossible for any discourse to be based on anything else. Ever. Period. The point about encouraging Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, via ambassador Glaspie's comments to Saddam in the summer of 1990, is well known and not open to dispute. The point about the US conspiring to "starve" Iraq relies on rhetorical equivocation, but is true nonetheless, for the Pentagon had produced war plans in the late 80s about how vulnerable Iraq's water treatment industry would be to US bombs, and thus how all biopolitical systems of the country would fail as a result of a bombing/sanctions one-two punch; to doubt this is to ignore the US government's own published records, which openly speculate on mass mortality for infants by means of disease. Likewise, assassinating Saddam is nothing new, considering all of the hubbub about "decapitation strikes" during the barbaric Shock and Awe offensive. However, at various points in the 90s did the CIA also attempt to "help" Saddam commit suicide; such is so well known that various Friedmanish/Pipesque/Limbaughian figures in the Empire often boast of it. Last, it's pretty obvious the the Empire "took over" Iraq, considering that the new Iraqi constitution opens the country to foreign investment--all subject to approval by the US appointed governing authority--now headed by former CIA killer Ayad Allawi, who is only in power because of the US occupation force, a force that conveniently occupied government buildings associated with oil while Baghdad was otherwise looted and burned.

Frantzman: "The truth is that Saddam chose to invade his [...] program to get billions for new weapons."

Me: No one, least of Cockburn & St. Clair, will deny Saddam's criminality--invasions, gas attacks on Iranians & Kurds, gross violations of human rights, arbitrary arrest, killings, torture, and so on. Indeed, the authors point out that it is precisely for these reasons that the US enlisted him as their creature during the Cold War; the Empire coddled, enabled, and valued Saddam. On the other hand, we know that sanctions did in fact work, for (as both Rice and Powell claimed in early 2001) Saddam has been effectively disarmed to the point that he "can't project power in the region" and that even little Kuwait didn't consider him a real threat. It likewise defies reason to claim that Saddam was a serious threat, even though his regime was destroyed so quickly and even though his evil weapons of mass destruction weren't used against the US invader--which is beyond curious. The notion that Saddam had any substantial control over the Oil-for-Food program (which only began in 1996) is furthermore completely at odds with the historical record, as the program was UN administered to hold Iraqi oil funds in escrow until reparations and debts were paid off, and moreover until Iraqi purchases were approved--a system which thoroughly destroyed the country worse than the bombing--a process called "Sanctions of Mass Destruction" in 2000 by *Foreign Affairs*. This is not to say that Saddam didn't become fabulously wealthy during the sanctions regime--but such a result was well known in advance: what else could've happened but the complete centralization of power in Saddam's hands if all Iraqi foreign transactions are limited to oil, controlled by the state?

Frantzman: "Yugoslavia may be one of the only [...] from the province and supporting terrorists. Here the book is on the mark."

Me: I happen to like their reading here too, but I suspect that Mssr. Frantzman only appreciates it because the text argues effectively against the Moslem position.

Frantzman: "In the last analysis the Afghanistan conflict this book is so far off the [...] Nazism was also wrong and therefore it may not even be worth flipping through."

Me: Interesting that Frantzman acknowledges the criminality of the Taliban, but doesn't seem to comprehend that they, like Saddam, are a product of US Empire. Of course, Frantzman is completely in Never-Never Land with his assertion that the Taliban are foreigners: indeed, such is generally not the case. Rather, the Taliban are an indigenous Pashtun movement that arose in the Afghani-Pakistani border regions during 1994 as a response to the various mujaheddin groups then fighting for dominance after the destruction of the communist regime of Najibullah in 1992. Though a small number of foreigners have been associated with the Taliban, the majority of the cadres and leadership are native to the region; Frantzman perhaps confuses the Taliban proper with the mujaheddin groups of the 80s, who were largely recruited from other Moslem nations (though not without significant local elements, such as the semi-feudal mullahs)--Arabs first and foremost (al Qaida germinated from these folks independently of the Taliban). Also, there is of course no similarity at all between the Taliban and the Nazis--except of course for the virulent anti-semitism of both, and each's place within the rogue's gallery of ultra-rightwing movements. I might as well point out that Frantzman here invokes Godwin's Law by mentioning the Nazis, but I'm sure savvy readers noticed that.

They Told You So
Bush's war on Iraq has degenerated into a bloody occupation, signified by war crimes, slaughter of civilians and US soldiers engaged in Sadean rituals with Iraqi prisoners. The justifications for the war have been proven to be bald-faced lies. Thousands have perished and Iraq as a nation is worse off than it was under Saddam. This war was supported by both political parties and the corporate press. But not Cockburn and St. Clair, and the team of writers at CounterPunch, which called it right as the war was being planned, sold and unleashed. A similarly bleak saga has played out in Afghanistan, where a cruise missile war was launched on an impoverished nation under the grip of a regime the CIA had put in power in the first place. Mullah Omar and Osama are still at large, heroin production has soared and the nation is controlled by warlords and misogyinistic religious zealots. Again, the press and the Democrats went along for the ride and haven't looked back at the carnage left in the wake of the war. Cockburn and St. Clair predicted and show why the Afghan war was doomed to backfire on US interests and the civilians of that desperate nation. Imperial Crusades doesn't spare Clinton and his gang, either, which orchestrated an illegal war on Yugoslavia, under the rubric of "humantarian intervention", which ended up killing thousands of civilians, propping up Kosovar terrorists, unleashing religious zealots and looney sectarians. Both Kosovo and Yugoslavia remain in dire straits and the humanitarian bombers have moved on to other causes. This book is written as a journal of the past 12 years of unremitting war by the imperial forces of the US and their allies in the press. It was CounterPunch which first exposed the fabrications of the New York Times's Judith Miller. This book holds no punches and plays no favorites.

A Must Read
This is a fantastic book that exposes the truth behind the last decade's worth of US war.The Counterpunch crew has done it again, in bringing the truth to light regarding the US involvement in Iraq, Yugoslavia and Afghanistan.

They debunk the lies the mainstream press has used in justifying and defending the US invasions.They reveal the truth behind the conflict in Iraq, and show that the wheels were set into motion long before Dubya took the oath of office in 2000.

Pick it up for yourself and take a look.It's a must read for those wanting to know the truth behind the current US foreign agenda.

A pot of lies with one honesty
This is a book based on opinion, fallacy and hyperbole.It deals with three conflicts, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia.The claim with Iraq is that America encouraged Saddam to invade Kuwait and then conspired to starve Iraq and assassinate Saddam, in the end America simply took over Iraq.The truth is that Saddam chose to invade his neighboors.First he choose to invade Iran, then he choose to Gas the Kurds and finally because of jealousy he invaded Kuwait.The sanctions were approved by the U.N and they didn't work anyway.Saddam used the Oil for food program to get billions for new weapons.

Yugoslavia may be one of the only conflicts that this book is slightly accurate in portraying.IN Yugoslavia the government reacted against terrorism and in doing so the international community claimed `ethnic cleansing'.In a brutal war America bombarded civilians in Serbia and then invaded Kosovo, helping to finish the cleansing of Serbs from the province and supporting terrorists.Here the book is on the mark.

In the last analysis the Afghanistan conflict this book is so far off the mark as to amaze anyone.The Taliban destroyed thousand year old Buddhist statues, they stoned women to death for daring to leave the house alone, they made music and cinema illegal.IF ever their was a regime that never deserved to exist it was the Taliban.Most of the Taliban were not even indigenous Afghans, but foreigners who invaded Afghanistan in the 80s to fight the `Jihad' against the Soviets.In the end the war against the Taliban was as just as the war against Nazi Germany.This book may well be so extremist as to argue that fighting Nazism was also wrong and therefore it may not even be worth flipping through.

Seth J. Frantzman ... Read more

Product Description
With A Special Reference To The Present Crisis And War With The Amir Sher Ali Khan. ... Read more

Product Description
This study seeks to provide an initial assessment of the war in Afghanistan and the lessons to be drawn in terms of war fighting, intelligence, and force transformation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great for military gurus. Difficult for Grad Students
I read this text for 2 graduate classes in International Affairs. This book would be highly useful for military analysts, but less tangible for those without military background. Interesting information, but a challenging read for this Graduate Student! ... Read more

Product Description
John Griffiths delves into the history, culture, social fabric, internal politics and economy of this intriguing and backward country. He reveals a nation living in the shadow of perpetual conflict: from the early incursions: Persian, Greek, Hun Mongol, through the Russian invasion and subsequent withdrawal, to the rise of the Taliban and the resulting international crisis - which sees the world poised on the brink of war with all fingers pointing towards Afghanistan. Set against Afghanistan's deep-rooted religious, ethnic and social divisions and the more recent bitter civil war that has left as many as 2 million Afghans dead and over 6 million homeless, Griffiths examines the current political situation, in particular the role of the Taliban - who now control approximately 90 percent of the country - under their fanatical and reclusive leader. He analyses their stance on minority groups, the importance of Islam, the place of women in Taliban society, their views on education and their support for the Islamic fundamentalist Osama bin Laden.He also discusses the difficulties that the West will face when attempting to impose law and order on a country which has as it's core a collection of diverse, independent, proud and anarchistic peoples and stresses the importance of creating stability in what is becoming an vitally important strategic and political flashpoint. Afghanistan: A History of Conflict provides an up-to-date, insightful and informative account of a country trapped between the middle ages and the twentieth-first century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good historical insight; less useful on current events
I have extensively studied Afghanistan, and lived there for a time, but still found some valuable insights in this book.It is a good general history for those unfamiliar with Afghanistan, and accurately describes the country, people, and culture.It covers the period since the founding of the monarchy in 1747, through the Anglo-Afghan Wars, the Soviet invasion, and up to the current decade.

One useful insight is the description of developments in Afghanistan from the early 20th Century through the 1970s.The author's stated motive is "to try and dispel the common belief that Afghanistan was irredeemably backward and locked into the Middle Ages" prior to the Soviet invasion.The chapter entitled "Experiments in Democracy" gives an interesting perspective on governance during the monarchy of the 1950s and 1960s.The book also gives a clear description of the coups of the 1970s, and of the various political factions and their origins.

While the book generally appears to be very well researched, it is not without flaws.One bizarre footnote, about US funding for the mujahedin, describes Democratic Congressman Charlie Wilson as a "right-winger" who "gave $450 million" (Wilson pushed for US Government funding, but was not personally a wealthy man), and inexplicably describes career CIA operative Gust Avrakotos as a "Greek tycoon".

The author is at his best when giving his personal perspectives from his travels in Afghanistan, and in explaining the details of developments in the country's recent past.His views of current events are less useful.His prescription for governance in Afghanistan entirely ignores the Constitution that the Afghans wrote in 2004.His attempt to draw meaningless parallels between the current situation and the Soviet invasion leads to some rather muddled conclusions.

I would recommend this book as a good general description of the country, its people, and its history.It is not useful as a guide for future actions, nor as a predictor of future events.

essential reading to understand Afghanistan
this is a balanced, warts-and-all analysis of how Afghanistan got into the condition it's been in since the Soviet invasion of 1979. Written by a British journalist who's been traveling to the area for fifty years, the book makes it clear that there are no simple causes and no easy solutions, maybe no solutions at all.

Griffifths' conclusions are sure to anger many Americans. He originally wrote the book in 1981 when the Soviet invasion seemed like it would succeed, and he revised and extended it in the weeks after 9/11. Griffifths has basically seen all this before. His descriptions of failed policies and programs from the 1950s onwards are eerily familiar in light of current events.

Another reviewer was irritated by the last two chapters, which indeed suggest that the US should have spent more time negotiating with the Taliban for bin Laden's surrender instead of immediately sending in the military. But Griffifths very clearly explains why, in Afghan culture, Mullah Omar was compelled to support al Qaeda, even though the Taliban had nothing to do with 9/11 and were not ideologically compatible with their more infamous brethren. And he also explains why our quick military response to the 1998 embassy bombings is the main reason why the Taliban refused to cooperate in delivering bin Laden after 9/11.

The picture Griffifths paints (and remember, he painted most of this picture two decades before the 9/11 attacks) is of a "country" that has always been and will always be fiercely independent and resistant to foreign domination. It's a loose group of tribes as likely to battle each other as they are to work together to drive out the foreign devils. It's a people who have their own way of life and have never made any lasting changes to that lifestyle, only temporary liberalizations for the sake of expediency. It's not a country that we can help to emerge into the 21st century.

Not good news for Americans, but essential reading if you want to understand the people we send our troops to fight and our dollars to assist.

A history of conflict in Afghanistan.
For much of this book, I learned much about the history of Afghanistan and the people who make up this troubled country.Up till the last chapter, it was a really interesting read.Then Griffiths starts talking about his viewpoint on the Taliban and why the West should negotiate with the Taliban government.Griffiths states that America is out for revenge following the September 11, 2001 attacks, and has picked on Afghanistan.I don't know much about Griffiths' politics, but I do know he didn't know anyone who died on September 11, 2001.Much of what the world knows about the Taliban after they lost control of the country show them to be a narrow minded religious party out to remake the modern world and turn the clock back.And Griffiths thinks we should negotiate with them.
For those who want to read this interesting book, rip out Chapters 14 and 15.They don't make much sense, so why read those chapters. ... Read more

Product Description
Afghanistan Diary is a provocative introduction to the recent history of the troubled country since the Mujahideen capture of Kabul in 1992. Documentary photographer Edward Grazda witnessed firsthand this hugely transformative period in modern Afghan history, from the destruction of the capital city five years into a ruinous civil war between Mujahideen factions, to their defeat by the Pakistani-supported Taliban militia, whose radical interpretation of Islamic law--and its draconian enforcement--is unarguably the most extreme in the Islamic world. Photographer Edward Grazda's sharp, penetrating lens distills the simple beauty of the place and its people alongside the horror of state-sanctioned human rights abuses. Over the course of nine years, Grazda secured unprecedented access to the country through friends and ex-officials, in both Afghanistan and in the U.S., to document the profound changes there caused by the great differences between the moderate Mujahideen and their arch enemies, the Taliban. Grazda's grasp of Afghan history and culture create an explosive expos of this outlaw nation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

LACKS SUBSTANCE AND QUALITY
What this book does point out is the imposed limitations and oppressive treatment of women, and a country torn by war, unrest and political upheavel. Death and destruction seem to prevail though this short book, which leaves the reader with the impression there is nothing more worth mentioning about the country other than the Taliban movement who harbors the accused terrorist, Osama bin Laden. We learn little about the Afghanistan people other than that of the Taliban.If the reader is searching for answers in this book, they will not likely find them.

The quality of the black and white photographs is extremely poor, so much so that some are hardly worth printing. The overall consensus of the book was that it lacked substance, quality and insightful information; the reading was equally as dark and gloomy.

A photographic documentation of a land torn by war
The Taliban of Afghanistan have forbidden and banned the taking of photographs of its citizens. This religion-based edict has been severely enforced since the mid 1990s. Edward Grazda's Afghanistan Diary: 1992-2000 is a photographic documentation of a people and a land torn by war, religious fanaticism, power politics, pandemic poverty, and the collapse of cultural, educational, political, and economic institutions. Grazda's powerful, gripping black-and-white photography and text are a stirring testament to the force and authority of an Islamic fundamentalism in total control of the daily life and functions of a battered people.

Kabul turns to Rubble
Edward Grazda shot these black and white photos during his visits to Afghanistan's Capitol, Kabul, over aperiod of eight years. For him, these photos reflect"A history and culture" being erased.Afghanistan today is one of the poorest, most devastated countries in the world. The ruling power, the Taliban, is very reluctant to allow visitors into their country because of their fear of the stories the visible suffering would generate.Because of this self imposed quarantine, Afghanistan is also one of the least understood countries.Grazda, through his photographs, has given us insights into the plight of these people.

I am not sure what it is about death and destruction that captivates a photographer's camera, but it must be a tinge of macabre.In "Afghanistan Diary," and through the eye of Edward Grazda, you will get a glimpse of the demented effect that the Taliban zealots have had in Afghanistan.Their oppressive andharsh treatment of women is well documented.The Talibans continue to be in the world news becausethey support terrorist training camps and harbor the accused terrorist Osama bin Laden.Most recently, March 2001, the Talibans blew up several enormous,priceless, Buddhist statues, which were carved into mountain walls between the second and fifth centuries AD.

Grazda'sphotographs,while interesting, are not captivating. The reproduction of the photos are often too dark, thus greatly diminishing their impact.If ever a story of struggling common people, amidst despair and depravation,needs to be told, it is in Afghanistan.But, this story is not visible here.Grazda has not laid out the photographs in a coherentmanner.One photo will be ofbuildings riddled with bullets, then another of turbaned, armed Afghanistani's; which then, nonsensically gives way to another photograph of office workers and then a photo of an empty office with a calendar on the wall.Also, the five pages that journal Grazda's thoughts while he was in Afghanistan were uninspiring.Though I am grateful for the glimpse into the sorrow of this section of the world, I was disappointed by the reproduction quality, thematic layout and writing.Conditionally Recommended.

Classic black & white photojournalism of a tragic conflict
These photographs are the authentic face of Afghanistan in the 1990s.Those that have been there will recognize the situations, people, and places.For those that have not, this is as close to the spirit as images can get.The tragedy of the conflict and the endurance of the Afghans despite it all are shown throughout this collection. ... Read more

Product Description
To understand more deeply the tragic events of September11, 2001, it is critical to know Afghanistan's recent and turbulentpast. Doomed in Afghanistan provides a first-hand account of howfailed diplomacy led to an Islamic fundamentalist victory in awar-torn country, and subsequently, to a Taliban takeover and a homefor Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda terrorist network.

In April 1992, Phillip Corwin was in Afghanistan as part of a UnitedNations team whose mission was to help ensure the transfer of powerfrom the Soviet-installed communist regime of President Najibullah toan interim authority that would prepare for elections. Some yearsafter the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan, Najibullah's regimecrumbled, and he was convinced to resign, with the understanding thathe would be evacuated to a neutral country (India). Due to a series ofmiscalculations and machinations, the UN's diplomatic missionfailed. Kabul fell to groups of mujahadin before Najibullah could beevacuated and before an interim authority could be installed. Theinability of the various mujahadin factions to unite led to theireventual defeat by the Taliban, who four years later routed Najibullahfrom his safe haven at the UN compound and executed him.

Corwin gives a vivid account of these seminal events- Najibullah'sfailed evacuation and the frenzied negotiations that were unable toforestall the anarchy and chaos that followed. ... Read more

Product Description
General Mike DeLong deputy commander of the U.S. Central Command during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars was second only to General Tommy Franks in the war on terror. At the centre of discussions between President Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, and Tommy Franks, General DeLong offers the frankest and most authoritative look inside the wars-how the US prepared for battle, how they fought, how two regimes were loppled-and what's happening now.Shows where Bob Woodward, Richard Clarke and others got it wrong.Reveals disagreements between Franks, Rumsfeld, DeLong and Wolfwitz ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Good background material
I was looking for a book that would help me to understand the thinking behind the scenes the war in Iraq.I wanted to know more about the Generals, the Colonols, how they reacted to finding things "on the ground" weren't what they expected.Little did I know how useful this book would be.

A friend in the military highly recommended this book to me.Turns out to be one of the best books to get me up to speed on why certain things were done along with the thinking/rational behind them.

You felt like you really had a good feel for who the main players were, during that time, in the military.

Inside CENTCOM
Simplistic, lacking in real substance and on several occasions purports to speak for all involved. Not a serious reference. The co-writer should be ashamed.

The Military History of 9/11, Afghanistan and Iraq
This short, easily readable book concerns itself -as the title aptly implies- only with the view of those running the U.S. Central Command during the USS Cole, 9/11, the War in Afghanistan, and the War in Iraq. If you are looking for more breadth you will be disappointed, but taken for what it is the book is lucid, concise, and always straight to the point.

What is useful about this book is the chance to see how our U.S. commanders responsible for military actions in the Middle East, Horn of Africa, and Central Asia see the world and how they act. They are blunt, dedicated, capable, and surprisingly innovative. Although they may not wrap themselves up in nuances the way many people who are only concerned about intelligence, or diplomacy, or some other single discipline tend to, neither do they take a simplistic view of the world. They maintain the ability to see simple truths in a complex world, and use those truths to guide them in a highly stressful, highly demanding, and highly risky endeavour.

The book chronologically accounts Lt. Gen. De Long's extended three year tenure as deputy commander of CentCom during the most important events in the war on terror. You will see how CentCom concerned itself (and still does) with building and maintaing coalitions that are determined by the mission at hand (not the other way around) and with all the military strategy, planning, intelligence, diplomacy, logistics, and support needed to fight the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. This book is good military history of how we pulled off those operations, what we did right, and what we did wrong. It also shows the transformation our military is going through towards becoming a fully joint force, and the payoffs this is having in the current theaters of operation. It is also encouraging to see that the U.S. military is indeed reacting to the Al-Qaeda threat with innovative new ways of conducting military operations. There are a small handful of historical gems that did not get wide media coverage and can help explain the current military situation to the lay person.

Certainly a book that is worth reading, but limited in scope. You won't find any explanation of the root causes of Al-Qaeda, any real insight or analysis on Al-Qaeda's strategy and tactics, nor any grand strategy for defeating them. You will see how CentCom got things done and why they did it the way they did. The teaser of where Iraq's WMD are fizzles a bit in the actual telling though. They certainly may be in Syria, Lebanon or still hidden, but conventional wisdom seems to have concluded they don't exist and there's not enough evidence presented here to suggest that this is incorrect. There are also several appendices with official documentation regarding the current U.S. defense strategy which are interesting.

A good read, but is detracted by the hubris
This book is a quick and interesting read, in which the author points out some interesting facts that might not be apparent to the reader. Unfortunately, the book is a little short, and I couldn't help but feel that the author isn't sharing nearly enough of his experiences at CentCom as he should. On the negative side, there does seem to be a small amount of hubris in the book.

The Inside Story
You don't really know what's happening in the world until the books come out. The news suppliers certainly make little or no attempt at going beyond the death of the day.

In this book one of the insiders of the war on terror speaks. General DeLong was in on the conferences, in on the decisions, central in the formation of the Coalition of countries in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is able to separate out the daily flak and put what happened in a perspective that certainly wasn't covered in the sound bytes of the election. This is one central player's view of what really happened in a story that will be analyzed for years just like Pearl Harbour.

In my opinion this is a mandatory book, required reading.
... Read more

Product Description
No Lack of Courage is the story of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's first battle. It is a revealing account of Operation Medusa, the largely Canadian action from 1-17 September 2006 to dislodge a heavily entrenched Taliban force in the Pashmul district of Afghanistan's Kandahar Province. At stake, according to senior Afghan politicians and NATO military commanders, was nothing less than the very existence of the reconstituted state of Afghanistan, as well as the NATO alliance itself. In a bitterly fought conflict that lasted more than two weeks, Canadian, Afghan, and Coalition troops defeated the dug-in enemy forces and chased them from the Pashmul area.

In the end, the brunt of the fighting fell on the Canadians, and the operation that saved Afghanistan exacted a great cost. However, the battle also demonstrated that Canada had shed its peacekeeping mythology and was once more ready to commit troops deliberately to combat. Moreover, it demonstrated yet again that Canadian soldiers have no lack of courage. ... Read more

Product Description
This third edition of the Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan provides researchers with updated information and considerable new material. It includes entries on major historical events, important places, leading personalities - past and present - and significant aspects of the countryOs culture, religion, and economy. The introduction contains an outline of AfghanistanOs political history, an appendix includes a number of documents, and a comprehensive bibliography introduces the reader to additional sources. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Book
This book is great, it provided me with the enormous amount of information needed to help me research about Afghanistan and learn more about my country. ... Read more