Product Description

Afghanistan dominates the news today, as it often did during the Soviet occupation two decades ago. But even in the 19th and early 20th centuries at the height of the Great Game, Afghanistan was the focal point of East-West relations. Squeezed between Russia, China, India and Persia, its tortured history provides an extraordinary glimpse into the patterns of world politics. Today, Afghanistan sits at the pivot of a region where a new Great Game is taking shape, pitched between America, its rivals and the peoples of Central Asia. 'Rasanayagam's work connects a difficult past with a difficult present in order to extract necessary lessons for the future. He presents a complex history, which will be understood by the general reader, drawing attention to a large range of issues in the contemporary world.' - Zahir Tanin, Producer for the Eurasian Region, BBC

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37868 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Review
'Well-written, succinct, accessible, analytical, objective and balanced - this is one of the best introductions to the history of modern Afghanistan available to the general public.' --Baqer Moin, Head of the Persian Service, BBC

'This is a magisterial study of the troubled nation, from the accession of the Iron Amir in 1889 up to the Taliban, the war of the winter of 2001-02, and search for a new state structure thereafter.' --History Today

'Excellent - a veritable textbook, and a reference source for anyone interested in Afghanistan' --Dr. Thomas Withington, Jane's Intelligence Review and King's College, London

About the Author
Angelo Rasanayagam was Chief of Mission for the UN in Iran and a number of other countries, before becoming Director of the UNHCR office in Peshawar, Pakistan. He now lives in Geneva.

Customer Reviews

A fascinating book, well researched and documented
A. Rasanayagam's book, although a work of considerable scholarship, reads like a novel. It is packed with the kind of relevant detail that gives coherence to the events and episodes described by putting them in context.As an example, the rivalries and fears of two expanding empires,Russia and Britain, resulted in the creation of Afghanistan as a buffer state in Central Asia. Another insight is given in the chapter on the prelude to the Soviet invasion, based on transcripts of the Soviet Politburo, casting doubts on the widely accepted idea that this act was just another blatant manifestation of Soviet expansionist aims.
The book is well-written and well organized, with a chronologically-arranged narrative structure that makes it an easy read.Each chapter is practically free-standing so the reader does not have to refer back to earlier chapters.
This book gives invaluable insights on a country very much on the headlines to any reader interested in world affairs, as much of what is described is of great contemporary relevance.