Pakistan on the Brink: The Future of America, Pakistan, and Afghanistan
What are the possibilities—and hazards—facing America as it withdraws from Afghanistan and reviews its long engagement in Pakistan? Where is the Taliban now in both of these countries? What does the immediate future hold, and what are America’s choices going forward? These are some of the crucial questions that Ahmed Rashid—Pakistan’s preeminent journalist—takes on in this follow-up to his acclaimed Descent into Chaos.
The escalation of the war in Afghanistan has deepened a long-standing crisis in its neighbor to the east. Pakistan’s political and military leadership has exhibited neither the courage nor the will to carry out major reforms in the country’s foreign and economic policies. The Pakistani state still fosters many extremist jihadi fighters, even as the Pakistani Taliban directly threaten that very state. Social services are near collapse, law enforcement is abysmal, economic hardship is widespread, natural disasters occur with little government assistance, and the majority of the population has no security. During the first years of the Obama administration, the critical U.S.-Pakistan relationship has been in a state of virtual meltdown. American strategy has reflected contradictory policies, intense political infighting, and uncertainty about U.S. aims in the region.
All parties to the conflict in Afghanistan and to the deterioration in Pakistan have made terrible mistakes, acting with arrogance, hubris, rigidity, and stubbornness. While struggles for democracy are occurring in countries that have hitherto known nothing but dictatorship, South and Central Asia, the birthplace of Al Qaeda, remains beset by extremist groups and nuclear weapons. Yet Afghanistan and Pakistan have a greater impact on global stability than anywhere else, and the decisions made by America and the West in the coming years about Pakistan will affect the security and safety of the world.
For three decades, Ahmed Rashid has reported, written, and spoken about the wars and political events he has witnessed and has been lauded internationally for his levelheaded, informed insights. As an up-to-date briefing from one of the world’s leading experts, and as an exhortation toward peace and understanding, Pakistan on the Brink is Rashid’s most urgent book.
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About the Author:
Ahmed Rashid is an expert on Central Asia, on jihad and Muslim extremists movements, on the Taliban and Al Qaeda, on insurgency, and on the catastrophe of US policy in this region, on which he has reported for twenty-five years. Author of three books, his work Taliban was a huge international bestseller, widely recognised as the definitive account. He has personally met and interviewed many of the key players in Central Asia. He writes regularly for the Financial Times, Washington Post and the International Herald Tribune, among others. Descent into Chaos was shortlisted for the Lionel Gelber Prize for non-fiction and won the Italian Tiziano Terzani prize.
Review:
The foremost chronicler of modern Afghan and Pakistani history * The Times * Pakistan's best and bravest reporter -- Christopher Hitchens A journalist of the highest narrative and analytic gifts -- Max Hastings His knowledge of events and people there is second to none -- Kim Sengupta A superb work on the future of Pakistan, a country many people deem the world's most dangerous -- Bruce Riedel * Washington Post * Ahmed Rashid has established a well-earned reputation as a meticulous, reliable and authoritative chronicler of events in south-west and central Asia ... Unlike many journalists ... Rashid does have the courage to outline how he believes the catastrophic situation in both his homeland (Pakistan) and its neighbour, Afghanistan, can be improved -- Jason Burke * Guardian * Rashid assembles a broad network of sources on all sides of the debate and is probing in his treatment of all the main actors ... a powerful and pacey primer -- Shiraz Maher * Spectator *
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- PublisherBrilliance Audio
- Publication date2016
- ISBN 10 1511362871
- ISBN 13 9781511362870
- BindingAudio CD
- Rating
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