Descent into chaos : the U.S. and the disaster in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia

The classic account of America's experience in Afghanistan, explaining the rise of the Taliban in the aftermath of America's failed war on terrorism--essential reading to understand the collapse in Afghanistan today. [A] brilliant and passionate book.-- The New York Review of Books A blistering critique of American policy--a dire and prescient warning predicting how our disastrous strategies in Central Asia's failing states threaten global stability and will bring devastation to our world. After September 11th, Ahmed Rashid's crucial book Taliban introduced American readers to that now notorious regime. In this work, he returns to Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia to review the catastrophic aftermath of America's failed war on terror. Called Pakistan's best and bravest reporter by Christopher Hitchens, Rashid has shown himself to be a voice of reason amid the chaos of present-day Central Asia. The essential briefing book to understand today's catastrophic headlines.

After September 11th , Ahmed Rashid's crucial book Taliban introduced American readers to that now notorious regime. In this new work, he returns to Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia to review the catastrophic aftermath of America's failed war on terror. Called Pakistan's best and bravest reporter by Christopher Hitchens, Rashid has shown himself to be a voice of reason amid the chaos of present-day Central Asia. Descent Into Chaos is his blistering critique of American policy-a dire warning and an impassioned call to correct these disasterous strategies before these failing states threaten global stability and bring devastation to our world.

Publishers Weekly

Iraq may turn out to be a mere side show compared with what is at stake with Pakistan and Afghanistan, says Rashid in his critical, timely and expansive book (the introduction alone takes up almost an entire disc). Arthur Morey walks a thin line: his overall success conveying the information in this weighty tome without sounding like a monotone college professor is a credit to his talent. Morey's voice is calm, authoritative and confident. His diction is perfect and his mannered delivery never loses steam. Nevertheless, even with an important book such as this, it is difficult to convey this quantity of factual information in a way that doesn't eventually begin to drone on. Morey fights the good fight and comes out ahead, barely. A Viking hardcover (Reviews, Apr. 14). (July)

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Cover Page Also by Ahmed Rashid Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Page Epigraph Page Contents Countries and Cities of Central Asia Ethnic Distribution Within Pakistan and Afghanistan Afghan Provinces and Federally Administered Tribal Areas NATO Deployment and Provincial Reconstruction Team Locations in Afghanistan, 2007 Opium Poppy Cultivation in Afghanistan, 2007 Military Offensives Launched by the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan, 2007 -2008 Glossary Acronyms Introduction: Imperial Overreach and Nation Building Part One: 9/11 and War Chapter One: A Man with a Mission Chapter Two: “The U.S. Will Act Like a Wounded Bear” Chapter Three: The Chief Executive’s Schizophrenia Chapter Four: Attack! Chapter Five: The Search for a Settlement Part Two: The Politics of the Post-9 /11 World Chapter Six: A Nuclear State of Mind Chapter Seven: The One-Billion-Dollar Warlords Chapter Eight: Musharraf ’s Lost Moment Part Three: The Failure of Nation Building Chapter Nine: Afghanistan I Chapter Ten: Afghanistan II Chapter Eleven: Double-Dealing with Islamic Extremism Chapter Twelve: Taliban Resurgent Part Four: Descent Into Chaos Chapter Thirteen: Al Qaeda’s Bolt-Hole Chapter Fourteen: America Shows the Way Chapter Fifteen: Drugs and Thugs Chapter Sixteen: Who Lost Uzbekistan? Chapter Seventeen: The Taliban Offensive Chapter Eighteen: Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes Suggested Reading Index Introduction. Imperial overreach and nation building Pt. I. 9/11 and war 1. A man with a mission : the unending conflict in Afghanistan 2. "The U.S. will act like a wounded bear" : Pakistan's long search for its soul 3. The chief executive's schizophrenia : Pakistan, the United Nations, and the United States before 9/11 4. Attack! : retaliation and invasion 5. The search for a settlement : Afghanistan and Pakistan at odds Pt. II. The politics of the post-9/11 world 6. A nuclear state of mind : India, Pakistan, and the war of permanent instability 7. The one-billion-dollar warlords : the war within Afghanistan 8. Musharraf's lost moment : political expediency and authoritarian rule Pt. III. The failure of nation building 9. Afghanistan I : economic reconstruction 10. Afghanistan II : rebuilding security 11. Double-dealing with Islamic extremism : al Queda and the Taliban in Pakistan 12. Taliban resurgent : the Taliban return home Pt. IV. Descent into chaos 13. Al Queda's bolt-hole : Pakistan's tribal areas 14. America shows the way : the disappeared and the rendered 15. Drugs and thugs : opium fuels the insurgency 16. Who lost Uzbekistan? : tyranny in Central Asia 17. The Taliban offensive : battling for control of Afghanistan, 2006-2007 18. The death of an icon: Pakistan struggles to survive 19. Conclusion: A fragile future. Shows us why the war in Iraq is just a sideshow to the main event. This book documents how intimately linked Pakistan is with the Taliban and other extremist movements, while remaining the US' main ally in the region. It brings into focus the role of many regional issues in supporting extremism, from nuclear programmes to local rivalries Examines how the failure of the nation building policies of the United States have contributed to increased instability in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, a result which represents the greatest threat to peace and security in the global community.