The us has repeatedly misdiagnosed the war in afghanistan. So i think if you dont succeed in afghanistan, you will be fighting in more places. Former soldier, andrew exum, tells us about flawed policy, unhappy outcomes and what could and should have been different. Afghanistan war, international conflict beginning in 2001 that was triggered by the september 11 attacks. The invaders of afghanistan find themselves waging a war against an enemy who is never there. Second, if we dont succeed here, organizations like nato, by association the european union, and the united nations might be relegated to the dustbin of history. Best books about the soviet invasion of afghanistan. It is the definitive history of the us civil war it gives equal treatment to both sides, and is more than one million words, but is never boring. There are several books that are excellent in covering different aspects of afghanistan s history. List of books and articles about taliban online research. Afghanistan agrees to new conditions to counter corruption.
William dalrymples top 10 books on afghanistan books. Understanding war in afghanistan is an excellent book for journeyman students of afghanistan. Booktopia buy afghan war books online from australias leading online bookstore. It also gives a history of the conflict in afghanistan during the 10 years that russia was at war in the area, and the role the cia played in their own covert operations. The taliban, which rose from the ashes of afghanistan s postsoviet civil war, provides alqaeda sanctuary for operations. The taliban emerged as a significant force in afghanistan in 1994 when they were assigned by pakistan to protect a convoy in afghanistan, which marked the. Top 10 books about the iraq war ranging from forensic intelligence reports to biting reportage and searing fiction and memoir, these books lay bare the mistakes that drove the war. Id highly recommend the following books descent into chaos ahmed rashid if you only read one thing about american policy in afghanistan and pakistan, let it be this book.
Best iraq and afghanistan war books some of the best books out there about the wars in iraq and afghanistan. Csi press publications on afghanistan army university press. The borden institute publishes and maintains the textbooks of military medicine. This collection is remarkable as a literary project uncovering a seam of war poetry. What are some good books to read about afghan history. The mujahideen were backed primarily by the united states, saudi arabia, pakistan. From the unpublished letters and journals of political and military officers employed in afghanistan throughout the entire period of british connexion with that country, sir john william kaye. His book about the taliban came to prominence after 911. Based on scrupulous research and firsthand accounts by key government, intelligence, and military personnel both foreign and american, ghost wars details the secret history of the cias role in afghanistan including its covert operations against soviet troops from 1979 to 1989, the rise of the taliban, the emergence of bin laden, and the. Discover the best afghan war military history in best sellers. The harrison forman collection this online exhibit documents the life and culture of afghanistan in the late 1960s, several years. History of the war in afghanistan internet archive. Afghanistan is bordered by iran on the west, by pakistan on the east and south, and by turkmenistan, uzbekistan, and tajikistan on the north. The army university press books are traditional and interactive works.
The forever war is one of the books about the war in afghanistan and iraq that gives a detailed account of how america deals with the challenges faced during the wars. History of the war in afghanistan, sir john william kaye volume 2 of history of the war in afghanistan. The army university press the us armys premier multimedia organization focuses on advancing the ideas and insights military professionals need to lead and succeed. Afghanistan has an ancient tradition of epic poetry celebrating resistance to foreign invasion and occupation. There was no such thing as the taliban until afghanistan s civil war in the wake of the soviet unions troop withdrawal in 1989 after a decadelong occupation.
Through its suite of publication platforms and educational services, the. This epic threevolume masterpiece is to war what gibbons decline and fall of the roman empire was to history. To understand afghan society, read before taliban and heroes of the age by david edwards, and afghanistan. The united states and the failure of nation building in pakistan, afghanistan, and central asia by ahmed rashid, is also looking at afghanistans international relationships, but this time in the modern day.
Essays trace the history of afghanistan, the rise of the taliban, major terms and definitions related to the war, and current developments in the war. In the west, this period is often defined through different lensesthe soviet intervention, the civil war, the taliban, and the post2001 nationbuilding era. Though the origins of the war involve the ongoing afghan civil war and the soviet invasion and occupation of the 1970s and 1980s, the current war began in october, 2001 in response to the september 11, 2001. The author was a foreign correspondent for the new york times, and gives a historical account of afghanistan and the taliban as it rose to power in the 90s. The attacks of september 11, 2001 surprised many americans. Andrew exum recommends the best books for understanding the war in afghanistan. As part of a government project to understand what went wrong, a federal agency interviewed more than 400 people who had a direct role in the. Im interested in history especiall military history and am looking to expand my library.
The united states and the failure of nation building in pakistan, afghanistan, and central asia by ahmed rashid, is also looking at afghanistan s international relationships, but this time in the modern day. The best books on understanding the war in afghanistan. I would prefer books that arent too dry but are still fairly informative. The first book, heroes of the age, looks at the competition within afghanistan between tribe, state and islam. The volumes in the series constitute a comprehensive treatise on the art and science of military medicine, covering such diverse topics as biological and chemical warfare, military preventive medicine, military medical ethics, combat behavioral health, harsh. Top 10 books about the iraq war books the guardian. A group called the taliban had controlled most of the country since 1996 but they were overthrown in november 2001. Third, i say, be careful you dont overamericanize the war. The written recorded history of the land presently constituting afghanistan can be traced back to around 500 bce when the area was under the achaemenid. But by the time their last troops withdrew in february of that year, theyd left a nation in social and economic shards, 1. It highlights a lot of the ambiguities and contradictions within afghan society and culture and history that are unrealistic for a us military officer to try to wrap his. A reading list of modern war stories the new york times.
Persia and afghanistan in 19334 being recognised as the greatest of all pre war travel books. History of the war in afghanistan, volume 1 volume 4 of afghanistan and the afghans, isbn 8186505350, 9788186505359 history of the war in afghanistan, sir john william kaye. The sovietafghan war was a conflict wherein insurgent groups known collectively as the mujahideen, as well as smaller maoist groups, fought a guerrilla war against the soviet army and the democratic republic of afghanistan government for over nine years, throughout the 1980s, mostly in the afghan countryside. The best books on understanding the war in afghanistan five.
The first phasetoppling the taliban the ultraconservative political and religious faction that ruled afghanistan and provided sanctuary for alqaeda, perpetrators of the september 11 attackswas brief, lasting just two months. The war in afghanistan operation enduring freedom2001present. A selection of books related to the wars in iraq and afghanistan. The secret history of the cia, afghanistan, and bin laden from the soviet invasion to september 10, 2001 by. Not only does it give them a summary of afghanistan s colorful geography and history, but it also presents an uptodate picture of where the war is heading and an informed discussion of. An intimate war tells the story of the last thirtyfour years of conflict in helmand province, afghanistan as seen through the eyes of the helmandis. High quality essays written by experts on the war in afghanistan are presented. The army university press is the armys entry point for cutting edge thought and discussion on topics important to the army and national defense. I remember i finished this book flying from herat to mazaresharif in the summer of 2009. History of the war in afghanistan, volume 2 by john william kaye paperback from nabu press.
The war in afghanistan is the first major conflict of the 21st century. Obama announces a new strategy for the afghanistan war that would dispatch more military and civilian trainers to the country, in addition to the 17,000 more combat troops he previously ordered. Of those, 2,300 died there and 20,589 were wounded in action, according to defense department figures. A military history of afghanistan army university press. Read on to understand how the war began in, but not against, afghanistan in 2001, and who the actors are now. More recently it has seen a clutch of exceptional works of nonfiction about the taliban era and the current disastrous war. For 18 years, america has been at war in afghanistan. The retreat from kabul map the first part of our afghanistan series begins in issue 1, with an indepth chronicling of the british armys disastrous retreat from kabul. William dalrymples top 10 books on afghanistan travel writing. Afghanistan war, international conflict in afghanistan beginning in 2001 that was triggered by the september 11 attacks and consisted of three phases. Rashid is also the author of the authoritative taliban. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Military forces and civilians a 2012 report from the congressional research service.
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