A clear-eyed view of the conflict in Afghanistan and its century-deep roots.
The war in Afghanistan has consumed vast amounts of blood and treasure, causing the Western powers to seek an exit without achieving victory. Seemingly never-ending, the conflict has become synonymous with a number of issues — global jihad, rampant tribalism, and the narcotics trade — but even though they are cited as the causes of the conflict, they are in fact symptoms.
Rather than beginning after 9/11 or with the Soviet “invasion” in 1979, the current conflict in Afghanistan began with the social reforms imposed by Amanullah Amir in 1919. Western powers have failed to recognize that legitimate grievances are driving the local population to turn to insurgency in Afghanistan. The issues they are willing to fight for have deep roots, forming a hundred-year-long social conflict over questions of secularism, modernity, and centralized power.
The first step toward achieving a “solution” to the Afghanistan “problem” is to have a clear-eyed view of what is really driving it.
The war in Afghanistan has consumed vast amounts of blood and treasure, causing the Western powers to seek an exit without achieving victory. Seemingly never-ending, the conflict has become synonymous with a number of issues — global jihad, rampant tribalism, and the narcotics trade — but even though they are cited as the causes of the conflict, they are in fact symptoms.
Rather than beginning after 9/11 or with the Soviet “invasion” in 1979, the current conflict in Afghanistan began with the social reforms imposed by Amanullah Amir in 1919. Western powers have failed to recognize that legitimate grievances are driving the local population to turn to insurgency in Afghanistan. The issues they are willing to fight for have deep roots, forming a hundred-year-long social conflict over questions of secularism, modernity, and centralized power.
The first step toward achieving a “solution” to the Afghanistan “problem” is to have a clear-eyed view of what is really driving it.
Authors
- Bibliography, etc. Note
- Includes bibliographical references and index
- Control Number Identifier
- CaOOCEL
- Date published
- 2020.
- Description conventions
- rda
- Dewey Decimal Classification Number
- 958.1/03
- Dewey Decimal Edition Number
- 23
- Distributor
- Canadian Electronic Library (Firm),
- General Note
- Issued as part of the desLibris books collection
- ISBN
- 9781459746657 1459746643
- LCCN
- DS363
- LCCN Item number
- H35 2020eb
- Modifying agency
- CaBNVSL
- Original cataloging agency
- CA7GT
- Physical Description | Extent
- 1 electronic text (360 pages)
- Published in
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Publisher or Distributor Number
- CaOOCEL
- Rights
- Access restricted to authorized users and institutions
- System Control Number
- (CaBNVSL)kck00241735 (OCoLC)1157344964 (CaOOCEL)480175
- System Details Note
- Mode of access: World Wide Web
- Transcribing agency
- CA7GT
Table of Contents
- Cover 1
- Praise for Blood Washing Blood 3
- Half Title Page 7
- Title Page 9
- Copyright 10
- Dedication 11
- Contents 15
- Provinces and Cities of Afghanistan 17
- Pashtun Tribes 18
- Barakzai Dynasty 1826-1978 19
- 1: 1919 21
- 2 Early Reforms 31
- 3 Rebellion on All Sides 47
- 4 The Water Carrier's Boy 63
- 5 The Shadow of God 77
- 6 The Boy King 89
- 7 Pashtunistan 101
- 8 The Strong Hand of the Prime Minister 115
- 9 The Last Amir 127
- 10 An Amir by Any Other Name 141
- 11 Bloody April 157
- 12 A Godless and Alien Regime 171
- 13 With Neither the Soviets nor God 187
- 14 The Students 203
- 15 The Commander of the Faithful 217
- 16 Guilt by Association 229
- 17 Infinite Justice 243
- 18 Opportunity Lost 257
- 19 The Neo-Taliban 277
- 20 Left to Stand Alone 295
- 21 Fraying at The Edges 311
- 22 Faint Hope for the Future 329
- Conclusion 339
- Acknowledgements 347
- Glossary 349
- Source Notes 355
- Selected Bibliography 367
- Index 383
- About the Author 415
- Back Cover 416
