The Afghanistan Wars

Twentieth-Century Wars

by William Maley

The current situation in Afghanistan is all too familiar, but its past remains unfamiliar to many. William Maley offers a valuable insight into Afghanistan's wars and the domestic, regional, and international politics that have exposed the population of what was once one of the most stable states in Asia to enormous damage. Maley examines the Soviet-Afghan War, the Afghan Civil War and the current conflict in the context of Afghanistan's cultural, social, political and geographical complexities. These are complexities with which policy makers, journalists, students and scholars must now come to terms.

Genres: Military History

336 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2002

Reviews

[Roy McCullough · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful primer on the military history of Afghanistan from 1979-2009. The first half of the book is devoted to the conflict with the Soviet Union (1979-1989) while the second half examines the chaotic period following the Soviet withdrawal and the rise, rule, and fall of the Taliban (a ‘fall’ that we now know would prove temporary). Afghanistan’s situation has changed dramatically since the book’s publication and scholarship on the troubled country has evolved apace. Nevertheless, this book still serves as a useful introduction to a particularly complex and challenging subject.