Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, if biased, account of what was up pre 9/11
Review: As an American living in several parts of the world in which Islam has a strong influence, I have always had a bit of a problem with the mainstream categorization of Islam as a fanatical approach to solving normal human problems.Kaplan, once again, gets beneath the surface of things to discover that all is not what it seems. As he himself freely admits in the new introduction to this edition, he was somewhat biased by his visceral experiences on the front lines in 1980s Afghanistan, in which he shared life and death with the mujahidin. His square placement of blame on the US for its blind reliance on Pakistan to provide intelligence and diplomacy on the war in Afghanistan is probably a bit short-sighted. Nevertheless, if anyone has any curiosity about how Bin Laden and his ilk came to find Afghanistan a safe-have, they should read this book. The updated intro and new last chapter are good additions in light of the prescience which lies beneath the surface of the original prose.
Rating:
Summary: an early work, but good
Review: Before Kaplan got really famous, he wrote this little volume of travelogue/reportage on Afghanistan. At the time, Afghanistan was a rite that the hardest of the hardcore journalists had to go through, and of those who survived to write a book about the experience, Kaplan's is one of the best. His experience scrambling around the Afghan mountains with the mujahideen is not one that many people have had, and his descriptions convey well the roughness of the terrain and people of that country. In addition, he analyzes politics astutely -- the details are sometimes moot now that everything has changed in the region, but for giving a sense of the country and its conflicted this book is superb.
Rating:
Summary: an early work, but good
Review: Before Kaplan got really famous, he wrote this little volume of travelogue/reportage on Afghanistan. At the time, Afghanistan was a rite that the hardest of the hardcore journalists had to go through, and of those who survived to write a book about the experience, Kaplan's is one of the best. His experience scrambling around the Afghan mountains with the mujahideen is not one that many people have had, and his descriptions convey well the roughness of the terrain and people of that country. In addition, he analyzes politics astutely -- the details are sometimes moot now that everything has changed in the region, but for giving a sense of the country and its conflicted this book is superb.
Rating: 
Summary: The author missed the most important point
Review: Even though Mr. Kaplan goes deeper into the recent Afghan history, he missed the most important point. He does not understand the profound meaning of the life of Ahmad Shah Massoud and the impact of this great leader, with great spirituality and a great vision, in the 23 years of Afghan Resistance. But who does? Very few as always when an important event happens in the world. Good book. Not a great book.
Rating: 
Summary: Captivating and Informative
Review: From the opening pages to the closing chapter of Soldiers of God, Robert D. Kaplan paints an intricate and vivid image of his experiences in Afghanistan throughout the 1980's. Soldiers of God intimately describes the details of the author's tumultuous stay in Afghanistan and his close personal relationship with many of the important figures in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation from 1979-1989.
The accumulation of Soldiers of God lies in Kaplan's numerous associations with various Islamic warriors, important figures in Afghanistan and journalists he encounters along the way. Various individuals he meets catalyze the linear narrative of the book and serves as a means of advancing the book through his memoirs. "[He] had met Palestinian leaders in Syria and Jordan, Polisario leaders in Algeria, Kurdish guerrillas in Iraq and Iran, and Eritrean and Tigrean guerrillas in northern Ethiopia," demonstrates the extent to which Kaplan met and befriended an insurmountable array of people and learned about Afghanistan (pg. 47). Through Kaplan's associations the reader gains an in-depth look at Afghanistan through the people Kaplan consorts with.
By relating his stories through information about the Punjabi, Abdul Haq, Ahmed Shah Massoud, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Savik Shuster, Haja Baba and Gucci Muj the audience gains a complete understanding of the existing turmoil in Afghanistan and further insight into various aspects like religion and women. Through Abdul Haq, for example, the reader learns of the intestinal fortitude existing in Islamic warriors in Afghanistan and Pakistan through Haq's courageous dealing of his amputated foot. Also, the reader learns of the increasing impertinence of Abdul Haq towards the United States.
For example, "Haq was convinced the US was trying to kill him," because they forced him to wait in the London airport for hours in excruciating pain due to Washington regulations, which stipulated that he must board only an American carrier (pg. 71). In addition, through Abdul Haq we learn that "Woman are as private to a Pathan as his private parts," depicting the extent to which women are secluded from society (pg. 50). An example concerning the importance of religion relates to Savik Shuster, a Lithuanian Jew and a former Soviet citizen. Shuster aggravates Haq when he claims to be agnostic causing Haq to exclaims, "Now you sound like a Soviet" (pg. 65). The above elements of US carelessness, women and religion signify the importance of Soldiers of God in relation to the growing interest in Afghanistan today. Kaplan's book conveys the significant details of the many facets and faces of Afghanistan life, which remain of vast interests since the events following September 11, 2001.
Robert D. Kaplan explanation for the purpose of Soldiers of God arises from his meticulous and realistic portrayal of the events he witnesses starting his prologue and finalizing through his later chapters, placing his reader in close proximity to understanding the book. Kaplan immediately captures his/her reader in the prologue entitled, "Walking Through a Minefield" and further enhances intrigue in the chapter entitled, "Going Up Khyber." By using pop culture and mostly Western references to Star Wars, Michael Jackson and Coca-Cola Kaplan allows his readers a more closer association with the book rather than isolating his audience to mainly factual and bland information. By relating his experiences through interwoven associations with various individuals Kaplan captures the essence of an Afghanistan, deeming Soldiers of God an essential book in understanding the richly historic country.
Zhaklin Ovsepyan
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I've been reading Kaplan for a few years starting w/ Balkan Ghosts. While his view of the world is pessimistic, it's supported by facts and based on his travels. His analysis is always extremely intelligent and objective and I always learn new things from his books. His bravery to go into Afghanistan is commendable. Just as in the Taliban by Ahmed Rashid, Kaplan identifies the non obvious patterns underlying the conflict, America and Pakistan's hand in it and how things went wrong. It is obvious that Mujahedin commanders such as Abdul Haq deserved respect and support that they never got from Pakistan and the US (Abdul eventually got murdered by the Taliban via CIA bungling subsequent to the book's publication) and could have been great leaders for Afghanistans future because of their moderate views towards the world while still holding their religious values close to themselves. Unfortunately, it's not people like that but the Taliban that came into power because of US and Pakistani bungling and sometimes a deliberate policy to continue unrest. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan has eerie similarity to how America is going into Iraq, albeit the fact that the Bush administration calls it a war on terror.
Rating:
Summary: I hope my Senator has read this book
Review: Kaplan's book should be mandatory reading for every single elected official in the Executive and Legislative branch as well as all of our military leaders. Kaplan's understanding of the forces at play in Afghanistan and Pakistan (which are inextricably linked) is second-to-none. As an Infantry Officer with 6+ months experience in Afghanistan, I can say that reading Kaplan's book gave me great insight into the enemy we are fighting and the relationship that exists between them and their Pakistani neighbors who routinely provide them safe haven outside the reach of the Coalition Forces.
Chock-full of insight that few Westerners have ever been exposed to, Kaplan delivers a phenomenal account of the Mujahideen from the inside-out. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: An invaluable book
Review: Kaplan, D. Robert, Solders of God (Vintage Books, New York, NY, November 2001). xxi+254. 1 map. Index. ISBN 1-4000-3025-0.
In his own personal account, Robert D. Kaplan, international affairs expert and war-time journalist, chronicles his journey with the mujahidin � �holy warriors� - through the forbidden and vicious landscape of Afghanistan. In Solders of God Kaplan attempts to unravel the sheer chaos of Afghanistan through an inter-personal level of analysis, first by gaining access to some of the most important tribal/resistance leaders, and then accompanying them on their Jihad � or �holy war� � against the Soviet Union. Kaplan purposely uses his experience with the mujahidin to help explain the chain of events over the past 30 years which left the door open for the fanaticism of the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden.
In the 80�s �war-time� reporting was largely focused around the civil war in Lebanon or apartheid in South Africa. Rarely was their a first-hand report from the front lines of Afghanistan, which is what makes Kaplan�s accounts of what some journalists call, the �forgotten war�, an invaluable tool in understanding present day international affairs.
During his time with the mujahidin, Kaplan details the lives of these mainly young, devote, and incredibly resistant solders who portray almost superhuman like qualities. As the Sherpas of Nepal have essentially evolved to conquer the highest of altitudes, the mujahidin of Afghanistan have evolved to become some of the world�s best guerrilla fighters. Insidious and intolerant as the mujahidin might seem, Kaplan exposes a fissure between the modern day authoritarian Islam of the Arabic world and the more introverted democratic, and egalitarian Islam of the Afghani tribes, specifically the Pathans in the north. Kaplan finds that while they were fanatical, many Afghani Moslems were incredibly tolerant of �non-believers� and women journalist (who many times felt safest with the mujahidin).
Some of the most shocking pieces of Kaplan�s account shows the ferociousness, relentlessness, and brutality of the Soviet invasion. Kaplan describes how the miscalculated and misguided Soviet war of attrition has left the �footprint� of war on Afghanistan to this very day. Riddled with Soviet landmines, Afghanistan has become a country of amputees, disabling a majority of an already diseased population.
Kaplan�s relationship with renowned leaders such as Abdul Haq (Pathan leader; known as the �Lion of Afghanistan�), Ahmad Shah Massoud (Tajik leader; known as the �Panshir Lion�), and Hamid Karzi (current Afghan interim leader), allows the reader to better understand the incoherence and complexity of the ethnic and tribal codes that rule Afghani politics.
Because of his intimacy with the Mujahidin, one might criticize Kaplan for romanticizing the bravado and machismo of these Afghan guerrillas. However, rather than romanticize, Kaplan delivers a telling and respectful account of a people and a country �orphaned by war�.
In Kaplan�s final analysis he shifts focus to neighboring Pakistan where the majority of Afghani refugees reside. Combined with past support (financial and political) for the Taliban and a fevering wave of fundamental Islam, seen coming directly from the Saudi sponsored Madrassas (religious schools); an explosive cocktail of factionalism is predicted on the horizon. In a chilling conclusion Kaplan warns of potential Balkanization in Pakistan. However unlike Yugoslavia, Pakistan has a Nuclear Arsenal. Scott Shadian
Rating:
Summary: An invaluable book
Review: Kaplan, D. Robert, Solders of God (Vintage Books, New York, NY, November 2001). xxi+254. 1 map. Index. ISBN 1-4000-3025-0.
In his own personal account, Robert D. Kaplan, international affairs expert and war-time journalist, chronicles his journey with the mujahidin ' 'holy warriors' - through the forbidden and vicious landscape of Afghanistan. In Solders of God Kaplan attempts to unravel the sheer chaos of Afghanistan through an inter-personal level of analysis, first by gaining access to some of the most important tribal/resistance leaders, and then accompanying them on their Jihad ' or 'holy war' ' against the Soviet Union. Kaplan purposely uses his experience with the mujahidin to help explain the chain of events over the past 30 years which left the door open for the fanaticism of the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden.
In the 80's 'war-time' reporting was largely focused around the civil war in Lebanon or apartheid in South Africa. Rarely was their a first-hand report from the front lines of Afghanistan, which is what makes Kaplan's accounts of what some journalists call, the 'forgotten war', an invaluable tool in understanding present day international affairs.
During his time with the mujahidin, Kaplan details the lives of these mainly young, devote, and incredibly resistant solders who portray almost superhuman like qualities. As the Sherpas of Nepal have essentially evolved to conquer the highest of altitudes, the mujahidin of Afghanistan have evolved to become some of the world's best guerrilla fighters. Insidious and intolerant as the mujahidin might seem, Kaplan exposes a fissure between the modern day authoritarian Islam of the Arabic world and the more introverted democratic, and egalitarian Islam of the Afghani tribes, specifically the Pathans in the north. Kaplan finds that while they were fanatical, many Afghani Moslems were incredibly tolerant of 'non-believers' and women journalist (who many times felt safest with the mujahidin).
Some of the most shocking pieces of Kaplan's account shows the ferociousness, relentlessness, and brutality of the Soviet invasion. Kaplan describes how the miscalculated and misguided Soviet war of attrition has left the 'footprint' of war on Afghanistan to this very day. Riddled with Soviet landmines, Afghanistan has become a country of amputees, disabling a majority of an already diseased population.
Kaplan's relationship with renowned leaders such as Abdul Haq (Pathan leader; known as the 'Lion of Afghanistan'), Ahmad Shah Massoud (Tajik leader; known as the 'Panshir Lion'), and Hamid Karzi (current Afghan interim leader), allows the reader to better understand the incoherence and complexity of the ethnic and tribal codes that rule Afghani politics.
Because of his intimacy with the Mujahidin, one might criticize Kaplan for romanticizing the bravado and machismo of these Afghan guerrillas. However, rather than romanticize, Kaplan delivers a telling and respectful account of a people and a country 'orphaned by war'.
In Kaplan's final analysis he shifts focus to neighboring Pakistan where the majority of Afghani refugees reside. Combined with past support (financial and political) for the Taliban and a fevering wave of fundamental Islam, seen coming directly from the Saudi sponsored Madrassas (religious schools); an explosive cocktail of factionalism is predicted on the horizon. In a chilling conclusion Kaplan warns of potential Balkanization in Pakistan. However unlike Yugoslavia, Pakistan has a Nuclear Arsenal. Scott Shadian
Rating:
Summary: articulate and informative
Review: Our friends are queued up to borrow this book because of its timely, unbiased background for today's headlines. Kaplan is thorough and credible and the bibliography he has compiled is literary and informative.
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