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In The Graveyard Of Empires: America's War In Afghanistan (2009)

by Seth G. Jones(Favorite Author)

3.77 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0393068986 (ISBN13: 9780393068986)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

W. W. Norton & Company

review 1: I really wanted to like Seth Jone's "In the Graveyard of Empires". His opening was tremendous, as he covers thousands of years of Afghan history through their wars with the Greeks, Indians, British and Russians. The beginning of the main work on the US intervention in the region was strong as well, but seemed to get drier and more redundant as it went on. By the time that I hit the 2/3rds mark I was regretting ever reading the book.In the past year I had Kaplan's "Soldiers of God" and Tapper's "The Outpost", which were both significantly stronger works. It may be wrong to rate books through comparison like this, but I can't help it. There are so many options on the Afghan War, that to chose Jones' would be a mistake.
review 2: A intro level overview to the mess... more we have gotten to in Afghanistan. It comes in from a journalist point of view instead that of a historian (imaging a long form writeup in the New York Times and you won't be far off the mark.The book opens with some historical background on past empires and their travails in Afghanistan (Alexander the Great, British in 19th Century, Soviets in the 20th). It then goes from the initial US invasion in 2001 until about 2009 (therefore it does not cover revent development like the capture of Bin Laden for example).It is a depressing book to read. The tone of the book is very impartial and matter of fact, but a reader can not help (with hind sight and even some historical foresight), shake their heads on some of the short sighted decisions made and how they eventually fails.Key Take aways:1. Afghanistan has a culture since antiquity of local/tribal governance that tends to ignore the central authority. This means a top down approach to pacify the country is hard going to begin with, and does not have any past success scenario to look to.2. NATO was ineffective due to its fractured command structure and the conflicting interests of its members.3. Because of 1) above, the central government doesn't have the natural legitimacy and authority it needs. Government solder/civil servants are often "just a job" and not a calling (like that of the Taliban).4. Key to control the country is controlling its rural areas, and the government is losing (Government troops can not be counted on to be there when needed, and the Taliban reps are RIGHT THERE.5. Pakistan is a key partner to the Taliban (this is not a typo), and unless they are taken out of the equation situation will never improve.6. This is a nation building exercise coupled with a counter insurgence operation. Unless we lower the goal post, the goals can not be met with the limited resources we committed to it.Given that the conflict is still ongoing with no sign of being settled anytime soon, anyone with an opinion can not help to play arm chair quarterback on what should've been done if we were to go in. So here's mine:a) light foot print+long duration: Smaller number of troops, be prepared to be there for 10 years. staying in place in major cities like Kabual.b) Forget about chasing Taliban in the provinces. Limit our operations to hunting down specific Al Qaeda types in the NW Frontier provinces.c) More effective dealing with Pakistan (not sure about details here, maybe play the India card?)d) More money channeled into civilian nation building instead of military ops (i.e. cheaper in the long run). Build up Afghan police, civil servant system, justice system, etc.e) THrough hook and crook gradually improve the corrupt Afghan government (Many US allies of old who were corrupt despots eventually transformed into semi democratic societies, so there is hope).More Radical:f) Partition the country into ethnic lines? (The countries border was an artificial construct anyway) Does not solve the fundemental problem but simplifies it by taking the Afghan central government out of the picture. less

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