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4.66 AVERAGE
4.66 AVERAGE
Excellent, incredibly thorough insight into what really happened in Afghanistan and Pakistan during the war.
What a massive, comprehensive, discouraging, heartbreaking book. Pretty much a history of modern Afghanistan, interwoven with concise bits of colonial history, written by someone who reported on the region for 20+ years, someone who loved the people and hated what it became. Lamb is a reporter for The Sunday Times and tells the story pretty straight. In many ways, she was the Forrest Gump of the war on terror in that trouble area of the world. She was actually on the bus that was carrying Benazir Bhutto when it was bombed after she came back to Pakistan from exile, only to be assassinated just a few weeks in a still "unsolved" murder. She was embedded in both the British and American forces while they fought in Afghanistan and was a close friend of Hamid Karzai.
There were 3 things that really jumped out at me when reading about how awful the whole situation was/is:
1] The West went in with no idea of what they were getting into, no plan for how to get out of it, or even what the victory conditions would be. Which she found particularly galling for the British, who had already lost two grim wars in Afghanistan in the past 100 years. Everyone just kind of flailed about, trying things that obviously wouldn't work from the start. The Afghan people just knew they were only going to leave when the going got tough, so there was very little support from the beginning.
2] The heroin trade was unstoppable and no one had a plan for offering the farmers anything else nearly as easy or as profitable to grow as poppies. Given the choice between starving or growing an "illegal" crop, the farmers did what they could and grew what they could. And without any other options, they weren't going to change.
3] The West never figured out how to deal with Pakistan, who took US money, promising the fight the "war on terror", yet was one of the leading sponsors and protectors of the Taliban. They just liked an unstable Afghanistan and pushed US money and weapons into the region. The forces there were hamstrung, because after attacking, the Taliban would just scurry back to cover in Pakistan. And no amount of begging or pleading was going to change their minds. As long as the spoke the words the US and British government wanted to hear, the money would just come pouring in.
It is hard to pick which chapter was most depressing. Could it be the one about the assassination of Bhutto and the obvious Pakistan government cover up? I think a leading contender would be the distressingly upsetting chapter on the women of Afghanistan, both during and after the Taliban. In one of the most historic and literate cities in the country, Herat, the women formed a "sewing circle", one of the few activities the Taliban allowed women to participate in. But instead, behind closed doors and under penalty of death, they were taught how to read and write and became writers of poetry. One woman was especially revered and when the Taliban were finally forced out, things got marginally better for all of them. But then the old ways crept back in, with jealousy and "religious traditions" putting the boot on their throats once again. That leading author was murdered by her jealous husband, who got away scot free because of "traditions".
Or it could have been the infuriating chapter on the prisons of Afghanistan and Guantanamo. And the "enhanced interrogation" methods not merely condoned but encouraged. These people, innocent or not (and many of them probably were innocent), were just horribly treated and completely deprived of all their rights. I would like to say "that's not who we are" but no one has been penalize for this egregious trampling of all the United States should stand for. So how can I argue?
Well, there is no happy ending. The "war on terror" continues, with nary an end in sight, as was predicted when the very first law was past after 9/11. An open ended war where the President has far too much power. And, after all these deaths, is hardly any better than when we started, but certain folks have gotten rich and powerful off the "war".
So it was a long and painful 600 pages, but one that needed to be read. It ought to be read by everyone, so we don't let this happen again.
There were 3 things that really jumped out at me when reading about how awful the whole situation was/is:
1] The West went in with no idea of what they were getting into, no plan for how to get out of it, or even what the victory conditions would be. Which she found particularly galling for the British, who had already lost two grim wars in Afghanistan in the past 100 years. Everyone just kind of flailed about, trying things that obviously wouldn't work from the start. The Afghan people just knew they were only going to leave when the going got tough, so there was very little support from the beginning.
2] The heroin trade was unstoppable and no one had a plan for offering the farmers anything else nearly as easy or as profitable to grow as poppies. Given the choice between starving or growing an "illegal" crop, the farmers did what they could and grew what they could. And without any other options, they weren't going to change.
3] The West never figured out how to deal with Pakistan, who took US money, promising the fight the "war on terror", yet was one of the leading sponsors and protectors of the Taliban. They just liked an unstable Afghanistan and pushed US money and weapons into the region. The forces there were hamstrung, because after attacking, the Taliban would just scurry back to cover in Pakistan. And no amount of begging or pleading was going to change their minds. As long as the spoke the words the US and British government wanted to hear, the money would just come pouring in.
It is hard to pick which chapter was most depressing. Could it be the one about the assassination of Bhutto and the obvious Pakistan government cover up? I think a leading contender would be the distressingly upsetting chapter on the women of Afghanistan, both during and after the Taliban. In one of the most historic and literate cities in the country, Herat, the women formed a "sewing circle", one of the few activities the Taliban allowed women to participate in. But instead, behind closed doors and under penalty of death, they were taught how to read and write and became writers of poetry. One woman was especially revered and when the Taliban were finally forced out, things got marginally better for all of them. But then the old ways crept back in, with jealousy and "religious traditions" putting the boot on their throats once again. That leading author was murdered by her jealous husband, who got away scot free because of "traditions".
Or it could have been the infuriating chapter on the prisons of Afghanistan and Guantanamo. And the "enhanced interrogation" methods not merely condoned but encouraged. These people, innocent or not (and many of them probably were innocent), were just horribly treated and completely deprived of all their rights. I would like to say "that's not who we are" but no one has been penalize for this egregious trampling of all the United States should stand for. So how can I argue?
Well, there is no happy ending. The "war on terror" continues, with nary an end in sight, as was predicted when the very first law was past after 9/11. An open ended war where the President has far too much power. And, after all these deaths, is hardly any better than when we started, but certain folks have gotten rich and powerful off the "war".
So it was a long and painful 600 pages, but one that needed to be read. It ought to be read by everyone, so we don't let this happen again.
A landmark. Lamb is a rare talent--a brilliant journalist, who combines investigation, analysis, and beautiful writing with passion for her subject. If you know nothing or everything about the Afghanistan campaign, you need to read this book. It will be staying with me long after I return it to the library.
What a timely book to read! It took me almost a month to read this book and I am ending it as Afghanistan falls to Taliban like a simple pack of cards in face of withdrawl of US troops.
If you want to learn about the politics of Afghanistan, this is the book. And if you want to feel the despondency of the Afghanis caught in a quagmire of foreign troops, local warlords and ever present threat of Taliban, this book gives you the picture.
With more than 20 years of reporting in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Christina Lamb began her love story with the region when she receved an invitation to the wedding of Benazir Bhutto. Her pages of the comeback of Benazir Bhutto to Pakistan….Benazir’s fatalistic comments before she returns to Pakistan, the first journey home from the airpoirt wherein she was attacked is rivetting.
The author has been privvy to and privileged by her special access everywhere including Afghanistan President Hamid Karazi, whom she knew from her days in Peshawar.
The book is critical of the USA, the foreign powers who seem so hell bent on fighting their battles with air raids and strikes that they are completely divorced from the ground realities, from the real needs of the Afghan people.
Christina Lamb also emphasises the role of Pakistan’s covert support to Taliban and at the same time playing along side a cat and mouse game with USA in this regard.
But what struck me also while reading the book was the hard circumstances under which the foreign soldiers fought. Just dropped onto the war zone by their countries, and completely divorced from ground realities, they land to be overwhelmed by sheer uncertain terrains, peoples and political decisions taken back home.
The book is an emotional account by Christina Lamb whose love for the region is there on every page of the book. It arouses a feeling of heaviness and despair for the people of Afghanistan whose lives are in an uncertain turmoil from the last 2 decades.
The book is hefty (around 590 pages) and sometimes seems too long. But if you really want to know the politics of Afghanistan over the last 2 decades , then this is a great read.
If you want to learn about the politics of Afghanistan, this is the book. And if you want to feel the despondency of the Afghanis caught in a quagmire of foreign troops, local warlords and ever present threat of Taliban, this book gives you the picture.
With more than 20 years of reporting in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Christina Lamb began her love story with the region when she receved an invitation to the wedding of Benazir Bhutto. Her pages of the comeback of Benazir Bhutto to Pakistan….Benazir’s fatalistic comments before she returns to Pakistan, the first journey home from the airpoirt wherein she was attacked is rivetting.
The author has been privvy to and privileged by her special access everywhere including Afghanistan President Hamid Karazi, whom she knew from her days in Peshawar.
The book is critical of the USA, the foreign powers who seem so hell bent on fighting their battles with air raids and strikes that they are completely divorced from the ground realities, from the real needs of the Afghan people.
Christina Lamb also emphasises the role of Pakistan’s covert support to Taliban and at the same time playing along side a cat and mouse game with USA in this regard.
But what struck me also while reading the book was the hard circumstances under which the foreign soldiers fought. Just dropped onto the war zone by their countries, and completely divorced from ground realities, they land to be overwhelmed by sheer uncertain terrains, peoples and political decisions taken back home.
The book is an emotional account by Christina Lamb whose love for the region is there on every page of the book. It arouses a feeling of heaviness and despair for the people of Afghanistan whose lives are in an uncertain turmoil from the last 2 decades.
The book is hefty (around 590 pages) and sometimes seems too long. But if you really want to know the politics of Afghanistan over the last 2 decades , then this is a great read.
Heart-wrench
This book is long for sure, but it kept me curious. Simply a truth about the war zone. However, I gave it five stars because it reflects the truth of what’s going on over there. It validates the whole fiasco of war that we are supposed to come out as victors. Our boots in Afghanistan and Iraq were our modern Vietnam 2.0 and we just went in and out without any concrete plan at all. We are just fighting because we are patriots about our country that’s all. I’m pissed off because we wasted lives, taxpayers’ money, and time investments in this. It is CRAZY and our military-industrial complex companies were the only victors of this bs wars.
This book is long for sure, but it kept me curious. Simply a truth about the war zone. However, I gave it five stars because it reflects the truth of what’s going on over there. It validates the whole fiasco of war that we are supposed to come out as victors. Our boots in Afghanistan and Iraq were our modern Vietnam 2.0 and we just went in and out without any concrete plan at all. We are just fighting because we are patriots about our country that’s all. I’m pissed off because we wasted lives, taxpayers’ money, and time investments in this. It is CRAZY and our military-industrial complex companies were the only victors of this bs wars.
Heart-wrench
This book is long for sure, but it kept me curious. Simply a truth about the war zone. However, I gave it five stars because it reflects the truth of what’s going on over there. It validates the whole fiasco of war that we are supposed to come out as victors. Our boots in Afghanistan and Iraq were our modern Vietnam 2.0 and we just went in and out without any concrete plan at all. We are just fighting because we are patriots about our country that’s all. I’m pissed off because we wasted lives, taxpayers’ money, and time investments in this. It is CRAZY and our military-industrial complex companies were the only victors of this bs wars.
This book is long for sure, but it kept me curious. Simply a truth about the war zone. However, I gave it five stars because it reflects the truth of what’s going on over there. It validates the whole fiasco of war that we are supposed to come out as victors. Our boots in Afghanistan and Iraq were our modern Vietnam 2.0 and we just went in and out without any concrete plan at all. We are just fighting because we are patriots about our country that’s all. I’m pissed off because we wasted lives, taxpayers’ money, and time investments in this. It is CRAZY and our military-industrial complex companies were the only victors of this bs wars.
Farewell Kabul is a journalist's view into modern Afghanistan and the forces that shaped it, both foreign and domestic. Her visits to Afghanistan were throughout the 90s and the 21st century, so a lot of her focus is on those periods, although there is obvious emphasis on the period around 1979 and the pivotal events in Iran as well as the Soviet invasion.
The breadth of knowledge presented inside a compelling narrative makes this book worth reading. The author's visits to Afghanistan and Pakistan put her right in the heart of the story, and she met many of the major players on the Afghan side.
The author isn't determined to push an agenda, although she certainly paints a harsh picture of the lives of a culture that has received the short end of the stick throughout history. The interventions by Britain and the USA are examined with a critical eye, and the role Pakistan plays in the current violent climate is more than hinted at. For my part, I learned a lot about the current state of the country and the events that touched the Western world from 2001 onwards, and is a good balance to the primarily fear-mongering media typically being pushed in the Western world.
This is a book well worth the time investment. It is not an account from afar, but rather a brave book from a dangerous world.
The breadth of knowledge presented inside a compelling narrative makes this book worth reading. The author's visits to Afghanistan and Pakistan put her right in the heart of the story, and she met many of the major players on the Afghan side.
The author isn't determined to push an agenda, although she certainly paints a harsh picture of the lives of a culture that has received the short end of the stick throughout history. The interventions by Britain and the USA are examined with a critical eye, and the role Pakistan plays in the current violent climate is more than hinted at. For my part, I learned a lot about the current state of the country and the events that touched the Western world from 2001 onwards, and is a good balance to the primarily fear-mongering media typically being pushed in the Western world.
This is a book well worth the time investment. It is not an account from afar, but rather a brave book from a dangerous world.