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liberrydude's review
2.0
Thorough and comprehensive this is a thought provoking book about one district in one province (Helmand) in Afghanistan that leaves you wondering if it was all for naught. We have achieved an incomplete victory of sorts. Malkasian was intimately involved in this district but writes with a certain almost academic detachment. His passion for these people with whom he has fought and lived for several years has been supplanted by cool objectivity as he gets into history, political science, and geo-politics. So if you wanted a memoir this is not the book for you. There are some real heroes in this book, Afghan heroes, and are proof of that old adage that one man can make a difference. The Taliban clearly have the upper hand in political organization and discipline over the Karzai government. One wonders if their leader, Mullah Omar, were taken out if that discipline would survive. He's had a price on his head since 2001 and lives safely in Pakistan governing the Taliban from his safe haven. Land reform and corruption are issues that still confront Garmser. The competition within the government among officials for resources and no clear unified or centralized command is just a prescription for disaster- competent people being fired and replaced by relatives or folks with money who won't work or take risks. Plus once the Marines pulled out many elders were all but predicting the resurgence of the Taliban. It doesn't look like it will take much to ignite the disaffection that can simmer under the surface. All it takes is one bad official taking bribes and abusing his office for the Taliban to get a foothold and grow-that's been the pattern. Looking at Iraq one wonders if that's what's in store for Afghanistan with the Taliban surging out of their safe haven in Pakistan in another year or two.
strickvl's review
3.0
3.5*
Maybe my expectations were too high, but I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. It's a solid book, just with less of the details that I was hoping for (esp for the pre-2001 period). Recommended as serious scholarship, but not the best best best book that some have suggested.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. It's a solid book, just with less of the details that I was hoping for (esp for the pre-2001 period). Recommended as serious scholarship, but not the best best best book that some have suggested.
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