The American War in Afghanistan

Download The American War in Afghanistan PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0197550797
Total Pages : 601 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (975 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The American War in Afghanistan by : Carter Malkasian

Download or read book The American War in Afghanistan written by Carter Malkasian and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2021-06-15 with total page 601 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A New York Times Notable Book Winner of 2022 Lionel Gelber Prize The first authoritative history of American's longest war by one of the world's leading scholar-practitioners. The American war in Afghanistan, which began in 2001, is now the longest armed conflict in the nation's history. It is currently winding down, and American troops are likely to leave soon but only after a stay of nearly two decades. In The American War in Afghanistan, Carter Malkasian provides the first comprehensive history of the entire conflict. Malkasian is both a leading academic authority on the subject and an experienced practitioner, having spent nearly two years working in the Afghan countryside and going on to serve as the senior advisor to General Joseph Dunford, the US military commander in Afghanistan and later the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. Drawing from a deep well of local knowledge, understanding of Pashto, and review of primary source documents, Malkasian moves through the war's multiple phases: the 2001 invasion and after; the light American footprint during the 2003 Iraq invasion; the resurgence of the Taliban in 2006, the Obama-era surge, and the various resets in strategy and force allocations that occurred from 2011 onward, culminating in the 2018-2020 peace talks. Malkasian lived through much of it, and draws from his own experiences to provide a unique vantage point on the war. Today, the Taliban is the most powerful faction, and sees victory as probable. The ultimate outcome after America leaves is inherently unpredictable given the multitude of actors there, but one thing is sure: the war did not go as America had hoped. Although the al-Qa'eda leader Osama bin Laden was killed and no major attack on the American homeland was carried out after 2001, the United States was unable to end the violence or hand off the war to the Afghan authorities, which could not survive without US military backing. The American War in Afghanistan explains why the war had such a disappointing outcome. Wise and all-encompassing, The American War in Afghanistan provides a truly vivid portrait of the conflict in all of its phases that will remain the authoritative account for years to come.

The Afghanistan Papers

Download The Afghanistan Papers PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1982159014
Total Pages : 384 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (821 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Afghanistan Papers by : Craig Whitlock

Download or read book The Afghanistan Papers written by Craig Whitlock and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2022-08-30 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Washington Post Best Book of 2021 ​The #1 New York Times bestselling investigative story of how three successive presidents and their military commanders deceived the public year after year about America’s longest war, foreshadowing the Taliban’s recapture of Afghanistan, by Washington Post reporter and three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Craig Whitlock. Unlike the wars in Vietnam and Iraq, the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 had near-unanimous public support. At first, the goals were straightforward and clear: defeat al-Qaeda and prevent a repeat of 9/11. Yet soon after the United States and its allies removed the Taliban from power, the mission veered off course and US officials lost sight of their original objectives. Distracted by the war in Iraq, the US military become mired in an unwinnable guerrilla conflict in a country it did not understand. But no president wanted to admit failure, especially in a war that began as a just cause. Instead, the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations sent more and more troops to Afghanistan and repeatedly said they were making progress, even though they knew there was no realistic prospect for an outright victory. Just as the Pentagon Papers changed the public’s understanding of Vietnam, The Afghanistan Papers contains “fast-paced and vivid” (The New York Times Book Review) revelation after revelation from people who played a direct role in the war from leaders in the White House and the Pentagon to soldiers and aid workers on the front lines. In unvarnished language, they admit that the US government’s strategies were a mess, that the nation-building project was a colossal failure, and that drugs and corruption gained a stranglehold over their allies in the Afghan government. All told, the account is based on interviews with more than 1,000 people who knew that the US government was presenting a distorted, and sometimes entirely fabricated, version of the facts on the ground. Documents unearthed by The Washington Post reveal that President Bush didn’t know the name of his Afghanistan war commander—and didn’t want to meet with him. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld admitted that he had “no visibility into who the bad guys are.” His successor, Robert Gates, said: “We didn’t know jack shit about al-Qaeda.” The Afghanistan Papers is a “searing indictment of the deceit, blunders, and hubris of senior military and civilian officials” (Tom Bowman, NRP Pentagon Correspondent) that will supercharge a long-overdue reckoning over what went wrong and forever change the way the conflict is remembered.

History of the War in Afghanistan

Download History of the War in Afghanistan PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 680 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis History of the War in Afghanistan by : Sir John William Kaye

Download or read book History of the War in Afghanistan written by Sir John William Kaye and published by . This book was released on 1851 with total page 680 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The First Anglo-Afghan War began in early 1839 when the British undertook an invasion of Afghanistan from India with the aim of overthrowing the Afghan ruler, Amir Dost Mohammad Khan, and replacing him with the supposedly pro-British former ruler, Shah Shujaʻ. The British were at first successful. They installed Shah Shujaʻ as ruler in Jalalabad and forced Dost Mohammad to flee the country. But in 1841 Dost Mohammad returned to Afghanistan to lead an uprising against the invaders and Shah Shujaʻ. In one of the most disastrous defeats in British military history, in January 1842 an Anglo-Indian force of 4,500 men and thousands of followers was routed by Afghan tribesmen. The British then sent a larger force from India to exact retribution and to recover hostages, before finally withdrawing in October 1842. History of the War in Afghanistan is a two-volume study of the war, based on unpublished letters and journals by British political and military officers who served in the conflict. The author, Sir John William Kaye (1814-76), was a onetime officer in the army of the East India Company who resigned in 1841 to devote himself full time to the writing of military history. The book begins with a detailed analysis of the events of 1800-1837 that led up to the war and of the "Great Game of Central Asia"--the rivalry between Russia and Britain for influence in the region that spurred British intervention in Afghanistan. This is followed by detailed accounts of the major battles and military campaigns. Kaye joins other authors in concluding that the war was a disaster for Britain: "No failure so total and overwhelming as this is recorded in the page of history. No lesson so grand and impressive is to be found in all the annals of the world." Kaye also wrote a novel based on the war, Long Engagements: a Tale of the Affghan Rebellion (1846), and several other major historical works, including The Life and Correspondence of Major-General Sir John Malcolm (1856) and the three-volume The History of the Sepoy War in India, 1857-8, published in 1864-76.

History of the War in Afghanistan

Download History of the War in Afghanistan PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 708 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (2 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis History of the War in Afghanistan by : Sir John William Kaye

Download or read book History of the War in Afghanistan written by Sir John William Kaye and published by . This book was released on 1851 with total page 708 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The First Anglo-Afghan War began in early 1839 when the British undertook an invasion of Afghanistan from India with the aim of overthrowing the Afghan ruler, Amir Dost Mohammad Khan, and replacing him with the supposedly pro-British former ruler, Shah Shujaʻ. The British were at first successful. They installed Shah Shujaʻ as ruler in Jalalabad and forced Dost Mohammad to flee the country. But in 1841 Dost Mohammad returned to Afghanistan to lead an uprising against the invaders and Shah Shujaʻ. In one of the most disastrous defeats in British military history, in January 1842 an Anglo-Indian force of 4,500 men and thousands of followers was routed by Afghan tribesmen. The British then sent a larger force from India to exact retribution and to recover hostages, before finally withdrawing in October 1842. History of the War in Afghanistan is a two-volume study of the war, based on unpublished letters and journals by British political and military officers who served in the conflict. The author, Sir John William Kaye (1814-76), was a onetime officer in the army of the East India Company who resigned in 1841 to devote himself full time to the writing of military history. The book begins with a detailed analysis of the events of 1800-1837 that led up to the war and of the "Great Game of Central Asia"--the rivalry between Russia and Britain for influence in the region that spurred British intervention in Afghanistan. This is followed by detailed accounts of the major battles and military campaigns. Kaye joins other authors in concluding that the war was a disaster for Britain: "No failure so total and overwhelming as this is recorded in the page of history. No lesson so grand and impressive is to be found in all the annals of the world." Kaye also wrote a novel based on the war, Long Engagements: a Tale of the Affghan Rebellion (1846), and several other major historical works, including The Life and Correspondence of Major-General Sir John Malcolm (1856) and the three-volume The History of the Sepoy War in India, 1857-8, published in 1864-76.

Afghanistan

Download Afghanistan PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Da Capo Press
ISBN 13 : 0786722630
Total Pages : 394 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (867 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Afghanistan by : Stephen Tanner

Download or read book Afghanistan written by Stephen Tanner and published by Da Capo Press. This book was released on 2009-04-28 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For over 2,500 years, the forbidding territory of Afghanistan has served as a vital crossroads for armies and has witnessed history-shaping clashes between civilizations: Greek, Arab, Mongol, and Tartar, and, in more recent times, British, Russian, and American. When U.S. troops entered Afghanistan in the weeks following September 11, 2001, they overthrew the Afghan Taliban regime and sent the terrorists it harbored on the run. But America's initial easy victory is in sharp contrast to the difficulties it faces today in confronting the Taliban resurgence. Originally published in 2002, Stephen Tanner's Afghanistan has now been completely updated to include the crucial turn of events since America first entered the country.

The Afghan Wars, 1839-42 and 1878-80

Download The Afghan Wars, 1839-42 and 1878-80 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : IndyPublish.com
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 376 pages
Book Rating : 4.B/5 (1 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Afghan Wars, 1839-42 and 1878-80 by : Archibald Forbes

Download or read book The Afghan Wars, 1839-42 and 1878-80 written by Archibald Forbes and published by IndyPublish.com. This book was released on 1892 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.

The War in Afghanistan

Download The War in Afghanistan PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : BookCaps Study Guides
ISBN 13 : 162107532X
Total Pages : 28 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (21 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The War in Afghanistan by : KidCaps

Download or read book The War in Afghanistan written by KidCaps and published by BookCaps Study Guides. This book was released on 2013-03-19 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, we will learn a lot about the War in Afghanistan. The first section will tell us more about what led up to it. We will look a little at the history of Afghanistan to find out how such bad guys like the Taliban could ever become the ruling party in the country. We will also see a little of what life was like when the Taliban was in charge. Find out more in this kids book. KidCaps is an imprint of BookCaps Study Guides; with dozens of books published every month, there's sure to be something just for you! Visit our website to find out more.

The History of the War in Afghanistan

Download The History of the War in Afghanistan PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (991 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The History of the War in Afghanistan by : John W. Kaye

Download or read book The History of the War in Afghanistan written by John W. Kaye and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Ghost Wars

Download Ghost Wars PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Penguin UK
ISBN 13 : 0141935790
Total Pages : 736 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (419 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Ghost Wars by : Steve Coll

Download or read book Ghost Wars written by Steve Coll and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2005-03-03 with total page 736 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The news-breaking book that has sent schockwaves through the White House, Ghost Wars is the most accurate and revealing account yet of the CIA's secret involvement in al-Qaeada's evolution. Prize-winning journalist Steve Coll has spent years reporting from the Middle East, accessed previously classified government files and interviewed senior US officials and foreign spymasters. Here he gives the full inside story of the CIA's covert funding of an Islamic jihad against Soviet forces in Afghanistan, explores how this sowed the seeds of bn Laden's rise, traces how he built his global network and brings to life the dramatic battles within the US government over national security. Above all, he lays bare American intelligence's continual failure to grasp the rising threat of terrrorism in the years leading to 9/11 - and its devastating consequences.

The Forty-Year War in Afghanistan

Download The Forty-Year War in Afghanistan PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Verso Books
ISBN 13 : 1839768177
Total Pages : 273 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (397 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Forty-Year War in Afghanistan by : Tariq Ali

Download or read book The Forty-Year War in Afghanistan written by Tariq Ali and published by Verso Books. This book was released on 2021-11-30 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The occupation of Afghanistan is over, and a balance sheet can be drawn. These essays on war and peace in the region reveal Tariq Ali at his sharpest and most prescient. Rarely has there been such an enthusiastic display of international unity as that which greeted the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Compared to Iraq, Afghanistan became the “good war.” But a stalemate ensued, and the Taliban waited out the NATO contingents. Today, with the collapse of the puppet regime in Kabul, what does the future hold for a traumatised Afghan people? Will China become the dominant influence in the country? Tariq Ali has been following the wars in Afghanistan for forty years. He opposed Soviet military interven- tion in 1979, predicting disaster. He was also a fierce critic of its NATO sequel, Operation Enduring Freedom. In a series of trenchant commentaries, he has described the tragedies inflicted on Afghanistan, as well as the semi-Talibanisation and militarisation of neighbouring Pakistan. Most of his predictions have proved accurate. The Forty-Year War in Afghanistan: A Chronicle Foretold brings together the best of his writings and includes a new introduction.

Why We Lost

Download Why We Lost PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN 13 : 0544370481
Total Pages : 565 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (443 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Why We Lost by : Daniel P. Bolger

Download or read book Why We Lost written by Daniel P. Bolger and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2014 with total page 565 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A high-ranking general's gripping insider account of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and how it all went wrong. Over a thirty-five-year career, Daniel Bolger rose through the army infantry to become a three-star general, commanding in both theaters of the U.S. campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. He participated in meetings with top-level military and civilian players, where strategy was made and managed. At the same time, he regularly carried a rifle alongside rank-and-file soldiers in combat actions, unusual for a general. Now, as a witness to all levels of military command, Bolger offers a unique assessment of these wars, from 9/11 to the final withdrawal from the region. Writing with hard-won experience and unflinching honesty, Bolger makes the firm case that in Iraq and in Afghanistan, we lost -- but we didn't have to. Intelligence was garbled. Key decision makers were blinded by spreadsheets or theories. And, at the root of our failure, we never really understood our enemy. Why We Lost is a timely, forceful, and compulsively readable account of these wars from a fresh and authoritative perspective.

Understanding the U.S. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

Download Understanding the U.S. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : NYU Press
ISBN 13 : 1479836265
Total Pages : 377 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (798 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Understanding the U.S. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by : Beth Bailey

Download or read book Understanding the U.S. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan written by Beth Bailey and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2015-12-18 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Choice Outstanding Academic Title of 2016 Investigates the causes, conduct, and consequences of the recent American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Understanding the United States’ wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is essential to understanding the United States in the first decade of the new millennium and beyond. These wars were pivotal to American foreign policy and international relations. They were expensive: in lives, in treasure, and in reputation. They raised critical ethical and legal questions; they provoked debates over policy, strategy, and war-planning; they helped to shape American domestic politics. And they highlighted a profound division among the American people: While more than two million Americans served in Iraq and Afghanistan, many in multiple deployments, the vast majority of Americans and their families remained untouched by and frequently barely aware of the wars conducted in their name, far from American shores, in regions about which they know little. Understanding the U.S. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan gives us the first book-length expert historical analysis of these wars. It shows us how they began, what they teach us about the limits of the American military and diplomacy, and who fought them. It examines the lessons and legacies of wars whose outcomes may not be clear for decades. In 1945 few Americans could imagine that the country would be locked in a Cold War with the Soviet Union for decades; fewer could imagine how history would paint the era. Understanding the U.S. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan begins to come to grips with the period when America became enmeshed in a succession of “low intensity” conflicts in the Middle East.

Afghanistan

Download Afghanistan PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Reaktion Books
ISBN 13 : 1789140196
Total Pages : 797 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (891 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Afghanistan by : Jonathan L. Lee

Download or read book Afghanistan written by Jonathan L. Lee and published by Reaktion Books. This book was released on 2022-03-08 with total page 797 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A colossal history of Afghanistan from its earliest organization into a coherent state up to its turbulent present. Located at the intersection of Asia and the Middle East, Afghanistan has been strategically important for thousands of years. Its ancient routes and strategic position between India, Inner Asia, China, Persia, and beyond has meant the region has been subject to frequent invasions, both peaceful and military. As a result, modern Afghanistan is a culturally and ethnically diverse country, but one divided by conflict, political instability, and by mass displacements of its people. In this magisterial illustrated history, Jonathan L. Lee tells the story of how a small tribal confederacy in a politically and culturally significant but volatile region became a modern nation-state. Drawing on more than forty years of study, Lee places the current conflict in Afghanistan in its historical context and challenges many of the West’s preconceived ideas about the country. Focusing particularly on the powerful Durrani monarchy, which united the country in 1747 and ruled for nearly two and a half centuries, Lee chronicles the origins of the dynasty as clients of Safavid Persia and Mughal India: the reign of each ruler and their efforts to balance tribal, ethnic, regional, and religious factions; the struggle for social and constitutional reform; and the rise of Islamic and Communist factions. Along the way, he offers new cultural and political insights from Persian histories, the memoirs of Afghan government officials, British government and India Office archives, and recently released CIA reports and Wikileaks documents. He also sheds new light on the country’s foreign relations, its internal power struggles, and the impact of foreign military interventions such as the “War on Terror.”

The War for Afghanistan: A Very Brief History

Download The War for Afghanistan: A Very Brief History PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 1400843146
Total Pages : 62 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (8 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The War for Afghanistan: A Very Brief History by : Thomas J. Barfield

Download or read book The War for Afghanistan: A Very Brief History written by Thomas J. Barfield and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2012-05-06 with total page 62 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When it invaded Afghanistan in 2001, the United States sought to do something previous foreign powers had never attempted: to create an Afghani state where none existed. More than a decade on, the new regime in Kabul remains plagued by illegitimacy and ineffectiveness. What happened? As Thomas Barfield shows, the history of previous efforts to build governments in Afghanistan does much to explain the difficulties besetting this newest experiment. Princeton Shorts are brief selections taken from influential Princeton University Press books and produced exclusively in ebook format. Providing unmatched insight into important contemporary issues or timeless passages from classic works of the past, Princeton Shorts enable you to be an instant expert in a world where information is everywhere but quality is at a premium.

Afghanistan

Download Afghanistan PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781842225974
Total Pages : 284 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (259 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Afghanistan by : John Charles Griffiths

Download or read book Afghanistan written by John Charles Griffiths and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

History of the War in Afghanistan (Vol. 1-3)

Download History of the War in Afghanistan (Vol. 1-3) PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Good Press
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 1158 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (596 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis History of the War in Afghanistan (Vol. 1-3) by : Sir John William Kaye

Download or read book History of the War in Afghanistan (Vol. 1-3) written by Sir John William Kaye and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2023-12-18 with total page 1158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sir John William Kaye's 'History of the War in Afghanistan' is a comprehensive three-volume account of the British military involvement in Afghanistan during the 19th century. Written in a detailed and engaging style, Kaye provides a chronological narrative of the key battles, strategies, and political machinations that shaped the conflict. Drawing on his experiences as a military historian and journalist, Kaye presents a vivid portrayal of the challenges faced by the British forces in trying to control a volatile region. The book also delves into the cultural and strategic reasons behind the British Empire's expansion into Afghanistan, shedding light on the complexities of colonial warfare during the Victorian era. Kaye's work has been praised for its meticulous research and balanced perspective on a controversial period of history, making it a valuable resource for scholars and history enthusiasts alike. As a prominent figure in military history, Kaye's insights offer a unique and insightful perspective on the repercussions of imperial ambitions in a tumultuous region. Fans of military history and geopolitics will find 'History of the War in Afghanistan' a compelling and enlightening read.

Our Latest Longest War

Download Our Latest Longest War PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 022626579X
Total Pages : 387 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (262 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Our Latest Longest War by : Aaron B. O'Connell

Download or read book Our Latest Longest War written by Aaron B. O'Connell and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2017-04-03 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: American and Afghan veterans contribute to this anthology of critical perspectives—“a vital contribution toward understanding the Afghanistan War” (Library Journal). When America went to war with Afghanistan in the wake of 9/11, it did so with the lofty goals of dismantling al Qaeda, removing the Taliban from power, remaking the country into a democracy. But as the mission came unmoored from reality, the United States wasted billions of dollars, and thousands of lives were lost. Our Latest Longest War is a chronicle of how, why, and in what ways the war in Afghanistan failed. Edited by prize-winning historian and Marine lieutenant colonel Aaron B. O’Connell, the essays collected here represent nine different perspectives on the war—all from veterans of the conflict, both American and Afghan. Together, they paint a picture of a war in which problems of culture, including an unbridgeable rural-urban divide, derailed nearly every field of endeavor. The authors also draw troubling parallels to the Vietnam War, arguing that ideological currents in American life explain why the US government has repeatedly used military force in pursuit of democratic nation-building. In Afghanistan, as in Vietnam, this created a dramatic mismatch of means and ends that neither money, technology, nor weapons could overcome.