Product Description

A fascinating chronicle of a nation's turbulent history and a must read for anyone interested in the historical evolution of one of today's most dangerous breeding grounds of global terrorism. Starting in 7th century A.D., Martin Ewans shows Afghanistan's early days - powerful dynasties, fierce tribal rivalries and stunning architectural feats. He examines the various milestones on the country's road to the 21st century. The three Anglo-Afghan Wars (1838 - 1913), a power struggle between Russia and Britain for colonial supremacy in Afghanistan, ended by the nation's proclamation of independence in 1913. A leftist coup in the 1970s ended the monarchy and resulted in the invasion of Russian troops in 1979. A decade later, Russia withdrew and left Afghanistan in a Civil War that tore apart the nation's last remnants of religious, ethnic and geopolitical unity-the Taliban was born. In Ewans' lucid and dispassionate prose, is a once powerful empire, whose traditions and political stability have over the years slowly been reduced to ruins. Today, Afghanistan is war-torn and destitute, its people struggling to live their lives one day at a time under one the most fundamentalist and rigid rules imaginable. Martin Ewans carefully and concisely weighs the lessons of history to provide a frank look at Afghanistan's fragile relationship with its neighbouring countries and the dangerous national and international consequences of the Taliban's place in Islamic society.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #101162 in Books
• Published on: 2003-01-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

About the Author
The author lives in London. He will be giving a lecture at the Royal Overseas League on 10 February 2003.

Customer Reviews

A good overview
This is a detailed if relatively brief account of the complex history of Afghanistan, two thirds of the book focusing on the last hundred years.

Of particular interest perhaps is how communists came to power in Afghanistan at the very moment where it seemed genuine democracy was at the point of taking. A coup by communists followed a coup by the somewhat inscrutable Daoud whose obsession with recovering territory from Pakistan led to his undoing.

Earlier than that we have a history of the "Great Game" where Afghans were forced to play off the interests of Britain and Russia over many decades. The way Ewans tells this the Brits, despite some follies and excesses, prevented a likely Russian takeover and this led to relative stability until the British withdrew after the second world war.

Finally the book looks at the civil war which followed the withdrawal of the Russians in 1988 and the subsequent rise of the Taliban with Pakistani backing, ending with a grim view of the future.

A theme throughout is the great pride of the Afghani people and their refusal to assent to intervention from abroad. So far they have been unable to reconcile this with any stability for their own people.

If you want to know the history this seems like a good place to start.