false <![CDATA[The Punishment of Virtue: Inside Afghanistan After the Taliban]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171583515m/108437.jpg 108437 8 A National Public Radio reporter covering the last stand of the Taliban in their home base of Kandahar in Afghanistan's southern borderland, Sarah Chayes became deeply immersed in the unfolding drama of the attempt to rebuild a broken nation at the crossroads of the world's destiny. Her NPR tour up in early 2002, she left reporting to help turn the country's fortunes, accepting a job running a nonprofit founded by President Hamid Karzai's brother. With remarkable access to leading players in the postwar government, Chayes witnessed a tragic story unfold-the perverse turn of events whereby the U.S. government and armed forces allowed and abetted the return to power of corrupt militia commanders to the country, as well as the reinfiltration of bands of Taliban forces supported by U.S. ally Pakistan. In this gripping and dramatic account of her four years on the ground, working with Afghanis in the battle to restore their country to order and establish democracy, Chayes opens Americans' eyes to the sobering realities of this vital front in the war on terror. <br><br> She forged unparalleled relationships with the Karzai family, tribal leaders, U.S. military and diplomatic brass, and such leading figures in the Kandahar government as the imposing and highly effective chief of police-an incorruptible supporter of the Karzai regime whose brutal assassination in June 2005 serves as the opening of the book. Chayes lived in an Afghan home, gaining rich insights into the country's culture and politics and researching the history of Afghanistan's legendary resistance to foreign interference. She takes us into meetings with Hamid Karzai and the corrupt Kandahar governor, Gul Agha Shirzai, into the homes of tribal elders and onto the U.S. military base. Unveiling the complexities and traumas of Afghanistan's postwar struggles, she reveals how the tribal strongmen who have regained power-after years of being displaced by the Taliban-have visited a renewed plague of corruption and violence on the Afghan people, under the complicit eyes of U.S. forces and officials. <br><br> The story Chayes tells is a powerful, disturbing revelation of misguided U.S. policy and of the deeply entrenched traditions of tribal warlordism that have ruled Afghanistan through the centuries. 104497 17 8 2006 The Punishment of Virtue: Inside Afghanistan After the Taliban total:101|5:29|4:40|3:25|2:6|1:1| 101 393 225 34 5 4 false false Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 14 23:18:31 -0700 2009 Tue Jun 30 10:13:02 -0700 2009 more...]]> 1 3 true false Fri May 04 06:18:38 -0700 2007 Mon May 07 19:53:05 -0700 2007
Sarah Chayes ruined it for me.

Her bona fides are quite impressive - having gone to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban with the stellar news outfit NPR, she developed a passion for the people of the country. Seeking to improve ...more...]]> 3 1 false false Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed Aug 20 19:56:56 -0700 2008 Mon Aug 25 06:11:03 -0700 2008
This is an intriguing and complex look at warlordism in Afghanistan. I...more...]]> 4 1 false false Fri Jan 25 16:44:07 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 30 17:29:56 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 1 false false Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Fri Sep 14 13:57:38 -0700 2007 Mon Nov 26 15:35:57 -0800 2007 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Jan 10 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sat Feb 07 09:30:02 -0800 2009 Sat Feb 07 09:30:02 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Jan 17 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Jan 17 21:14:35 -0800 2009 Sat Jan 17 22:10:21 -0800 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed Apr 15 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 06 16:29:28 -0700 2009 Wed Apr 15 14:19:06 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 1 true false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Mon Jun 18 07:12:03 -0700 2007 Mon Feb 04 13:41:33 -0800 2008 4 1 false false Wed Sep 02 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 15 15:25:43 -0700 2009 Sat Oct 17 20:39:34 -0700 2009 Kandahar to run a nonprofit organization and try to do some real good for the people of Afghanistan.
This is not an objective account.
She makes it clear right from ...more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri Aug 01 23:06:18 -0700 2008 Fri Aug 01 23:17:11 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sun Jul 06 13:50:40 -0700 2008 Fri Jul 18 09:29:10 -0700 2008 The Punishment of Virtue, In...more...]]> 5 0 false false Mon Feb 04 15:26:37 -0800 2008 Mon Feb 18 05:36:54 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Jul 01 17:35:59 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 01 17:39:01 -0700 2009 more...]]> 0 0 false false Sun Aug 02 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 14 14:53:22 -0700 2009 Sun Aug 02 17:40:03 -0700 2009
...more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Oct 15 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Oct 15 13:30:33 -0700 2008 Fri Nov 21 06:59:20 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Oct 29 11:53:32 -0700 2009 Thu Oct 29 11:56:48 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Wed Apr 02 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Dec 29 14:47:42 -0800 2007 Wed Apr 02 20:18:12 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Jun 26 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Thu Feb 14 13:02:06 -0800 2008 Mon Jun 30 11:24:20 -0700 2008 more...]]> 0 0 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Fri Apr 24 21:39:52 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 24 21:41:03 -0700 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=108437