Rating: 
Summary: The authoritative book on Afghan history
Review: September 11th, 2001 brought about an unprecedented chain of events. The world's most powerful nation is now deeply intertwined with one of the poorest and most isolated countries in the world: Afghanistan. What happens in Afghanistan now directly affects us, and will continue to affect us for some time to come.In light of this, I picked up this book because I knew next to nothing about Afghanistan. What I found was a truly excellent book that covered all of Afghanistan history and paints a very rich tapestry of Afghan people, and how we have come to this point in history that is the American War on Terrorism there. Throughout this book, you will read examples of foreigners conquering Afghanistan, only to face the reality that in the end the Afghans can not be conquered. The most compelling example in this book is the first Anglo-Afghan war in the 1840s, where British forces marched in with huge numbers, but in the end, they were fleeing back to India starved, frozen, and totally panicked. The Soviet-Afghan war is equally compelling, and really provides insight into the current conflict we face where Mujahideen veteran fighters from that era have now reassembled into what is now Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Regardless of your views of the War on Terrorism, people will really benefit from reading this book. I think that by reading about Afghanistan and how it came to be will give readers a greater appreciation for what is going on there now in the current conflict, and also the War as a whole. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: This book is only average at best.
Review: This book really an insult to people who have spent hard earned money in the hopes of educating themselves on this subject. The author makes such huge assumptions about the actions of America that its just too simply far-fetched to believe. Example: The author incredibly states that Americans were angry at John Walker Lindh only because U.S. troops didn't participate in the ground war. The author obviously has little understanding of American culture and American society and has taken to the usual and often repeated Euro mantra that Americans are a war-hungry society. After such faulty assumptions are made, it is no longer a credible reference tool.
Rating:
Summary: This book is only average at best.
Review: This book really an insult to people who have spent hard earned money in the hopes of educating themselves on this subject. The author makes such huge assumptions about the actions of America that its just too simply far-fetched to believe. Example: The author incredibly states that Americans were angry at John Walker Lindh only because U.S. troops didn't participate in the ground war. The author obviously has little understanding of American culture and American society and has taken to the usual and often repeated Euro mantra that Americans are a war-hungry society. After such faulty assumptions are made, it is no longer a credible reference tool.
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