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skitch41's review
5.0
As the U.S. concludes its withdrawal from Afghanistan, Pakistan will once again assume a prominent role in the power struggles of Central and South Asia. Thus Mr. Paul's short but insightful book on Pakistan is a much needed addition to our knowledge of such crucial country and the many challenges it faces (and created). Mr. Paul argues that, like oil-rich countries facing a "natural resources curse," Pakistan faces a "Geostrategic Curse" that prevents Pakistan from focusing on democracy and economic development. Because of Pakistan's hyper-realpolitik views, it seeks some sort of military parity with its lifelong rival, India, by building nuclear weapons and aligning itself with radical Islamic groups, both of which have backfired on Pakistan. Although Mr. Paul's thoughts on Pakistan aren't necessarily new for anyone who has read [b:Descent into Chaos: The United States & the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan & Central Asia|3024831|Descent into Chaos The United States & the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan & Central Asia|Ahmed Rashid|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1394600551s/3024831.jpg|3055405] or [b:Pakistan on the Brink: The Future of America, Pakistan, and Afghanistan|11797376|Pakistan on the Brink The Future of America, Pakistan, and Afghanistan|Ahmed Rashid|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348003208s/11797376.jpg|16750158], he does do a marvelous job of examining Pakistan's challenges and weaving them into a discussion of Pakistan's history, focus on Islam as a unifying force, and all-consuming rivalry with India. The fact that his book is so insightful in such a short space (a little less than 200 pages) and such a readable way is an achievement in and of itself. The one downside to this book was chapter 7, where Mr. Paul compares Pakistan to other countries that have faced similar problems, but come out stronger. Although interesting, it felt a a little bit superfluous. Still, for anyone who is interested in Central/South Asia or Pakistan specifically this is a must read.
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