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Afghanistan's Endless War: State Failure, Regional Politics, and the Rise of the Taliban
Going beyond the stereotypes of Kalashnikov-wielding Afghan mujahideen and black-turbaned Taliban fundamentalists, Larry Goodson explains in this concise analysis of the Afghan war what has really been happening in Afghanistan in the last twenty years.
Beginning with the reasons behind Afghanistan’s inability to forge a strong state -- its myriad cleavages along ethnic, religious, social, and geographical fault lines -- Goodson then examines the devastating course of the war itself. He charts its utter destruction of the country, from the deaths of more than 2 million Afghans and the dispersal of some six million others as refugees to the complete collapse of its economy, which today has been replaced by monoagriculture in opium poppies and heroin production. The Taliban, some of whose leaders Goodson interviewed as recently as 1997, have controlled roughly 80 percent of the country but themselves have shown increasing discord along ethnic and political lines.
Beginning with the reasons behind Afghanistan’s inability to forge a strong state -- its myriad cleavages along ethnic, religious, social, and geographical fault lines -- Goodson then examines the devastating course of the war itself. He charts its utter destruction of the country, from the deaths of more than 2 million Afghans and the dispersal of some six million others as refugees to the complete collapse of its economy, which today has been replaced by monoagriculture in opium poppies and heroin production. The Taliban, some of whose leaders Goodson interviewed as recently as 1997, have controlled roughly 80 percent of the country but themselves have shown increasing discord along ethnic and political lines.
- GenresHistory
279 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 1, 2014
This book is very thoroughly researched and interesting for the period of Afghanistan's modern history that it covers. More interesting that it was published in 2001 when so much changed after its print.
My main critique of this book is the very poor editing of it. It is not a good read and the repetition of facts seen at one point and then a few pages later makes me wonder how many times the other read it in its full form before it was published. In at least one case where facts were repeated a slightly different figure was given in the second listing and at one time an additional piece of information is footnoted once and in the same chapter the footnoted information is incorporated into the text.
Otherwise it is indeed thorough on all the important players in the region with particular focus from the Soviet period up to 2000.
My main critique of this book is the very poor editing of it. It is not a good read and the repetition of facts seen at one point and then a few pages later makes me wonder how many times the other read it in its full form before it was published. In at least one case where facts were repeated a slightly different figure was given in the second listing and at one time an additional piece of information is footnoted once and in the same chapter the footnoted information is incorporated into the text.
Otherwise it is indeed thorough on all the important players in the region with particular focus from the Soviet period up to 2000.
August 28, 2009
I read this when it first came out--- the autumn of 2001, with the war against the Taliban and the US invasion of Afghanistan still in its early days. I'd seen Larry Goodson on a panel on C-Span 2 and been impressed by his knowledge.
"Afghanistan's Endless War" is a well-done account of Afghan history and politics between the end of the old monarchy and the seizure of power by the Taliban. It's especially good on the whole 1992-98 period, the era of warlords and anarchy, the era that made the Taliban seem like a force for stability to many Afghans and allowed Pakistan to see the Taliban as its tool for dominating the country.
Well-written, useful, very much recommended.
"Afghanistan's Endless War" is a well-done account of Afghan history and politics between the end of the old monarchy and the seizure of power by the Taliban. It's especially good on the whole 1992-98 period, the era of warlords and anarchy, the era that made the Taliban seem like a force for stability to many Afghans and allowed Pakistan to see the Taliban as its tool for dominating the country.
Well-written, useful, very much recommended.
June 2, 2009
A basic guide to understanding Afghanistan's history
September 29, 2009
A bit dry, but a very sobering look at Afghanistan's history bringing into context today's fighting in the region.
November 20, 2017
This is the book I should have read first about Afghanistan and the present morass. Although published just months before 9/11- this book set the table with Afghani History, Politics and Economics up to the American occupation era the best of the many books I've read on this topic. Instead of a popular history or current affairs book, this is really more of the academic basis one needs to get the tiniest handle on the region's pain. With wonderful maps, charts and graphs, we get an idea of the many Ethnic, Political, religious and Cultural vectors pushing and pulling at the seemingly eternal conflict. Without getting us too emotionally involved with any one group or movement, Goodson navigates back and forth with personal notes, academic curiosity, and the ever present numerical data/charts to show us how the once peaceful Nation has disintegrated throughout my entire adult life. He's not plumbing for pathos- but the academic style recitation of all the deeply damaging body blows to the national body and soul are no less depression-inducing. The book ends with the Afghanistan we, the readers, know is about to have yet another military, NATO, try to bring order to the chaos. We know another 17 years of misery is the result.... although we can also point to core issues that the 2001 invasion did address. But the reader will be far better informed about the area and the Russian/Muj/First Taliban period that inform the present morass. Young readers will find the academic approach very readable, if challenging. Gamers/Military Enthusiasts/Modellers will find this only good background and will find better sources for scenario/diorama development elsewhere.
November 5, 2023
Goodwill Industries USA
Afghanistan spent much of the 20th century as one of the poorest and least significant nations in the world, only to reign i's 19th century prominence as a Cold war battleground in the 1980's
Afghanistan spent much of the 20th century as one of the poorest and least significant nations in the world, only to reign i's 19th century prominence as a Cold war battleground in the 1980's
November 11, 2023
Eso es bueno
January 25, 2025
Read for my master's thesis. A good source but not what I'd recommend for reading as a hobby.
December 12, 2025
The author was spot on with the 36 month cycle in the evolving conflicts. His last 36 months cycle would have ended in September 2001.
July 27, 2011
Interesting book about the recent political history of Afghanistan.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews