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Afghanistan, Arms and Conflict: Armed Groups, Disarmament and Security in a Post-War Society (Contemporary Security Studies)
by Michael Vinay Bhatia Mark SedraThis is the first book to provide a comprehensive assessment of small arms and security-related issues in post-9/11 Afghanistan. It includes case studies which reveal the findings of in-depth field research on hitherto neglected regions of the country, and provides a distinctive balance of thematic analysis, conceptual models and empirical research. Exploring various facets of armed violence and measures to tackle it, the volume provides significant insight into broader issues such as the efficacy of international assistance, the ‘shadow’ economy, warlordism, and the Taliban-led insurgency. In an effort to deconstruct and demystify Afghanistan’s alleged ‘gun culture’, it also explores some of the prevailing obstacles and opportunities facing the country in its transition period. In so doing, the book offers valuable lessons to the state-builders of Afghanistan as well as those of other countries and regions struggling to emerge from periods of transition. This book will be of much interest to all students of Afghanistan, small arms, insurgency, Asian Studies, and conflict studies in general.
Afghanistan Declassified
by Brian Glyn WilliamsNearly 100,000 U.S. soldiers are deployed to Afghanistan, fighting the longest war in the nation's history. But what do Americans know about the land where this conflict is taking place? Many have come to have a grasp of the people, history, and geography of Iraq, but Afghanistan remains a mystery.Originally published by the U.S. Army to provide an overview of the country's terrain, ethnic groups, and history for American troops and now updated and expanded for the general public, Afghanistan Declassified fills in these gaps. Historian Brian Glyn Williams, who has traveled to Afghanistan frequently over the past decade, provides essential background to the war, tracing the rise, fall, and reemergence of the Taliban. Special sections deal with topics such as the CIA's Predator drone campaign in the Pakistani tribal zones, the spread of suicide bombing from Iraq to the Afghan theater of operations, and comparisons between the Soviet and U.S. experiences in Afghanistan.To Williams, a historian of Central Asia, Afghanistan is not merely a theater in the war on terror. It is a primeval, exciting, and beautiful land; not only a place of danger and turmoil but also one of hospitable villagers and stunning landscapes, of great cultural diversity and richness. Williams brings the country to life through his own travel experiences--from living with Northern Alliance Uzbek warlords to working on a major NATO base. National heroes are introduced, Afghanistan's varied ethnic groups are explored, key battles--both ancient and current--are retold, and this land that many see as only a frightening setting for prolonged war emerges in three dimensions.
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Strategic Change: Adjusting Western regional policy (Asian Security Studies)
by Iv Joachim Krause Charles King MalloryThe region encompassing Afghanistan and Pakistan (Af/Pak region) is undergoing a fundamental strategic change. This book analyses the nature of this strategic change, in ordre to seek possible future scenarios and to examine policy options. It also undertakes a critical review of the basic elements of the Western strategic approach towards dealing with regional conflicts in all parts of the world, with special emphasis on the Af/Pak region.Dealing with the political developments i one of the most volatile regions in the world – Afghanistan and Pakistan – the volume focuses on Western strategic concerns. The withdrawal of ISAF by 2014 will change the overall political setting and the work addresses the challenges that will result for Western policymakers thereafter. It examines the cases of Afghanistan and Pakistan separately, and also looks at the broader region and tries to identify different outcomes. This book will be of much interest to students of Central and South Asian politics, strategic studies, foreign policy and security studies generally.
The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War
by Craig Whitlock The Washington PostA Washington Post Best Book of 2021 The #1 New York Times bestselling investigative story of how three successive presidents and their military commanders deceived the public year after year about America&’s longest war, foreshadowing the Taliban&’s recapture of Afghanistan, by Washington Post reporter and three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Craig Whitlock.Unlike the wars in Vietnam and Iraq, the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 had near-unanimous public support. At first, the goals were straightforward and clear: defeat al-Qaeda and prevent a repeat of 9/11. Yet soon after the United States and its allies removed the Taliban from power, the mission veered off course and US officials lost sight of their original objectives. Distracted by the war in Iraq, the US military become mired in an unwinnable guerrilla conflict in a country it did not understand. But no president wanted to admit failure, especially in a war that began as a just cause. Instead, the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations sent more and more troops to Afghanistan and repeatedly said they were making progress, even though they knew there was no realistic prospect for an outright victory. Just as the Pentagon Papers changed the public&’s understanding of Vietnam, The Afghanistan Papers contains &“fast-paced and vivid&” (The New York Times Book Review) revelation after revelation from people who played a direct role in the war from leaders in the White House and the Pentagon to soldiers and aid workers on the front lines. In unvarnished language, they admit that the US government&’s strategies were a mess, that the nation-building project was a colossal failure, and that drugs and corruption gained a stranglehold over their allies in the Afghan government. All told, the account is based on interviews with more than 1,000 people who knew that the US government was presenting a distorted, and sometimes entirely fabricated, version of the facts on the ground. Documents unearthed by The Washington Post reveal that President Bush didn&’t know the name of his Afghanistan war commander—and didn&’t want to meet with him. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld admitted that he had &“no visibility into who the bad guys are.&” His successor, Robert Gates, said: &“We didn&’t know jack shit about al-Qaeda.&” The Afghanistan Papers is a &“searing indictment of the deceit, blunders, and hubris of senior military and civilian officials&” (Tom Bowman, NRP Pentagon Correspondent) that will supercharge a long-overdue reckoning over what went wrong and forever change the way the conflict is remembered.
Afghanistan Post-2014: Power configurations and evolving trajectories
by Rajen Harshé Dhananjay TripathiOwing to its geo-strategic location and mineral wealth, Afghanistan has acquired significance in the inter-state politics of Asia as well as world politics during the past decades. This book outlines Afghanistan's efforts to build a stable and peaceful democratic polity, with external military support from the United States and its NATO allies. It also analyses the nation's development initiatives with major powers such as India, the United States, Russia and Germany. The volume: * brings to the fore ongoing tensions within the Afghan polity and its continued impact on Asian/world politics; * discusses topical themes such as withdrawal of US troops and non-traditional security; and * presents perspectives from scholars and experts from around the world, including Afghans. This work will be useful to scholars and researchers in political science, international relations, sociology, area studies, and the interested general reader.
Afghanistan Rising: Islamic Law and Statecraft between the Ottoman and British Empires
by Faiz AhmedDebunking conventional narratives, Faiz Ahmed presents a vibrant account of the first Muslim-majority country to gain independence, codify its own laws, and ratify a constitution after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Afghanistan, he shows, attracted thinkers eager to craft a modern state within the interpretive traditions of Islamic law and ethics.
Afghanistan und die Taliban: Ein Überblick (essentials)
by Stefan GoertzEinführend wird kurz das Entstehen der Taliban geschildert sowie ihre Schreckensherrschaft, ihr „Steinzeit-Kalifat“, illustriert. Ein weiteres Hauptkapitel beleuchtet die nach 20 Jahren gescheiterte westliche nation building-Mission in Afghanistan. Dabei wird die counterinsurgency- und nation building-Strategie der westlichen Staaten in Afghanistan von 2001 bis 2021 analysiert. Der Opiumanbau und der Drogenhandel wurden zum strategisch entscheidenden Vorteil der Taliban im Kleinen Krieg gegen die westliche Koalition und die afghanischen Sicherheitskräfte. Abschließend werden die Gegenwart und die Zukunft, Afghanistan unter der Herrschaft der Taliban, thematisiert.
Afghanistan's Local War: Building Local Defense Forces
by Arturo Munoz Seth G. JonesIn Afghanistan, local communities have played a critical role in security, especially in rural areas. Afghan national security forces are important to the top-down strategy, but the Afghan government and NATO forces also need to leverage local communities to gain a complementary bottom-up strategy. This analysis discusses the viability of establishing local security forces in Afghanistan and addresses concerns about the wisdom of such policies.
Afghanistan's Political Stability: A Dream Unrealised
by Ahmad Shayeq QassemPolitical stability has been a central theme of policy for all governments and political systems in the history of modern Afghanistan. Since its inception in the mid-nineteenth century, the country experimented with a diverse succession of political systems and state ideologies matched by few other countries' political histories. In the span of less than nine decades since independence in 1919, the Afghan state was substantially restructured at least a dozen times. This volume looks at Afghanistan's historic relations with Central and South Asia, ethno-nationalism and development, Soviet occupation and transformation of relations with Pakistan, stability of the Islamic State and regional cooperation. It examines how Afghanistan's different political systems reformed and readjusted policies to make them more conducive to political stability. Yet political stability, at best, has remained a dream unrealized in Afghanistan.
The Afghans: Three lives through war, love and revolt - from the bestselling author of The Bookseller of Kabul
by Åsne Seierstad'Åsne Seierstad is the supreme non-fiction writer of her generation' Luke Harding'No other recent book on the subject comes close' CPW Gammell, author of The Pearl of KhorasanIn her international bestseller The Bookseller of Kabul, award-winning journalist Åsne Seierstad studied life in Afghanistan before and after the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001. Now twenty years later, the Taliban is back in power, and Seierstad returns with The Afghans, a book to help us understand Afghanistan's past, present and future, told through the lives of three unforgettable people. In her compelling, intimate and thought-provoking new book, Seierstad introduces us to three people whose lives have been shaped by the fall and rise of the Taliban - Jamila, Bashir and Ariana - as well their families, friends, foes and co-fighters. Jamila is a women's rights activist; Bashir is a Taliban commander; Ariana is a law student who had one semester left when the Taliban came to power. The stories of these three Afghans encompass love, loss, revolt and war as well as the everyday rhythms of family life. Through them, we experience and come to understand the lead-up to the Taliban retaking power in 2021, how the first year of Taliban rule unfolded, and where this leaves Afghans today, and tomorrow.Praise for Åsne Seierstad:'An intimate portrait of Afghani people quite unlike any other' Sunday Times on The Bookseller of Kabul'Has the feel of a non-fiction novel - irresistible' New York Times on One of Us'Hauntingly written, this book is both a masterpiece and a masterclass in investigative journalism' Christina Lamb on Two Sisters'Meticulously documented, full of drama' Kate Adie on Two Sisters
Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles
by Richard Dowden Chinua AchebeAfter a lifetime's close observation of the continent, one of the world's finest Africa correspondents has penned a landmark book on life and death in modern Africa. In captivating prose, Dowden spins tales of cults and commerce in Senegal and traditional spirituality in Sierra Leone; analyzes the impact of oil and the internet on Nigeria and aid on Sudan; and examines what has gone so badly wrong in Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Congo. From the individual stories of failure and success comes a surprising portrait of a new Africa emerging--an Africa that, Dowden argues, can only be developed by its own people. Dowden's master work is an attempt to explain why Africa is the way it is and calls for a re-examination of the perception of Africa as "the dark continent." He reveals it as a place of inspiration and tremendous humanity.
Africa: Facts & Figures (The Evolution of Africa's Major Nations)
by William Mark HabeebAfrica, the world's second-largest continent, is home to more than 50 countries. Africa has valuable resources, from large reserves of oil to minerals such as diamonds and gold; as well as an incredible variety of wild animals, plants, and trees. From the bustling cities of Egypt to the warm grasslands of Kenya, Africa is filled with diverse cultures and peoples. Yet Africa is also a continent with many problems. African countries are among the world's poorest. Hunger is common, and jobs are rare. Many countries are torn by ongoing wars. Others are devastated by disease--it is estimated that nearly 10 percent of Africans are infected with the virus that causes AIDS, for example. Africa: Facts & Figures gives an overview of the natural features, history, economy, and cultures of this fascinating continent.
Africa: Dilemmas of Development and Change
by Peter LewisIn the decades since independence, the countries of sub-Saharan Africa have faced three central dilemmas of development. The first has been the challenge of state building. In the wake of colonial rule, governments have encountered the problems of establishing legitimate authority and constructing capable states. A second dilemma has been that of nation building and state-society relations. African countries have confronted the difficulties of managing ethnic diversity, forging national identities, and negotiating relations between citizens and rulers. The third challenge encompasses problems of economic development as the region has grappled with a legacy of poverty, slow growth, and external dependence.This collection provides an overview of the leading themes and issues in these three critical areas of Africa's postindependent development. A selection of pathbreaking articles provides insights into the key questions, the major theories, and the outstanding challenges in African development. Written by today's most influential African scholars, the readings cover a variety of topics including political leadership; forms of state power; the role of civil society; the importance of class, ethnicity, and gender; and the prospects for democratic change in the region. Changes in African political economies are also addressed, focusing special attention on the debt crisis and the problems of economic reform. A final section focuses on the present-day challenges to African development: the spread of refugees, pressures on the environment, the devastating toll of AIDS, and the threat of state collapse.Providing a broad historical perspective on Africa's political and economic development and an overview of current problems and prospects, this collection will be especially useful for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and development professionals.
Africa: An Introduction
by Eustace PalmerAfrica: An Introduction invites you into Africa: a continent rich with culture and history, with diverse populations stretching from the dense tropical rain forest of the Congo basin, right up to the Sahara Desert in the north, and down to the Mediterranean climates of the far south. Containing fifty-five countries, and covering over 20 percent of the world’s landmass, Africa is the birthplace of humanity, yet the image of Africa in the West is often negative, that of a continent riddled with endemic problems. This accessible and engaging guide to the African continent guides the reader through the history, geography, and politics of Africa. It ranges from the impact of slavery and imperialism through to the rise of African nationalism and the achievement of independence, and up to the present moment. Key topics covered include literature, art, technology, religion, the condition of African women, health, education, and the mounting environmental concerns faced by African people. As Africa moves beyond the painful legacies of slavery and imperialism, this book provides an engaging, uplifting, and accessible introduction to a rapidly modernizing and diverse continent. Suitable for high school and undergraduate students studying Africa, this book will also serve as the perfect introduction for anyone looking to understand the history of Africa and the Africa of today.
Africa: An Introduction to History, Politics and Society
by Rainer TetzlaffThe textbook provides an in-depth overview of African history and politics from the Atlantic slave trade, through the phases of colonialism and decolonization, to the development problems of the present. Various development theories are used to explain successful and failed development paths of individual countries after 1960. Thematic foci include Europe's colonial legacy, state formation and state failure, democratization, the curse of raw materials, population growth, hunger and poverty, ethnic conflicts, and the roles of the World Bank, EU, and China as external actors in Africa.
Africa: A Beginner's Guide (Beginner's Guides)
by Tom YoungVast, diverse, dynamic, and turbulent, the true nature of Africa is often obscured by its poverty-stricken image. In this controversial guide, Tom Young cuts through the emotional hype to critically analyse the continent's political history and the factors behind its dismal economic performance. Maintaining that colonial influences are often overplayed, Young argues that much blame must lie with African governments themselves and that Western aid has often caused more harm than good.
Africa After The Cold War: The Changing Perspectives On Security
by Adebayo Oyebade Abiodun AlaoAlthough it is widely recognized that Africa's security problems are acute, it has never been a subject of much intellectual inquiry. This lack of scholarly discourse on the many dimensions of the problem of African security is the major consideration for this book. The approach to the question of security in this book differs markedly from the traditional approach that gives primacy to the threat of military aggression as sole factor in state security. A departure must be made from this dominant preoccupation in a new global order that has seen profound changes. The authors then place primacy on the complex problems of ethno-religious nationalism, economic stagnation, catastrophic civil wars, environmental degradation and the prospects for democratic structures in considering Africa's security issues after the Cold War.
Africa and Africans in the making of the Atlantic world, 1400-1800
by John ThorntonThis book explores Africa's involvement in the Atlantic world from the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries. It focuses especially on the causes and consequences of the slave trade, in Africa, in Europe, and in the New World. Prior to 1680, Africa's economic and military strength enabled African elites to determine how trade with Europe developed. Thornton examines the dynamics that made slaves so necessary to European colonizers. He explains why African slaves were placed in significant roles. Estate structure and demography affected the capacity of slaves to form a self-sustaining society and behave as cultural actors. This second edition contains a new chapter on eighteenth century developments.
Africa and Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World, 1400-1800
by John Thornton Michael Adas Edmund Burke Philip D. CurtinThis 1998 book explores Africa's involvement in the Atlantic world from the fifteenth century to the eighteenth century. It focuses especially on the causes and consequences of the slave trade, in Africa, in Europe, and in the New World. African institutions, political events, and economic structures shaped Africa's voluntary involvement in the Atlantic arena before 1680. Africa's economic and military strength gave African elites the capacity to determine how trade with Europe developed. Thornton examines the dynamics of colonization which made slaves so necessary to European colonizers, and he explains why African slaves were placed in roles of central significance. Estate structure and demography affected the capacity of slaves to form a self-sustaining society and behave as cultural actors, transferring and transforming African culture in the New World.
Africa and Europe: From Partition to Independence or Dependence? (Routledge Library Editions: Development)
by Amadu SesayIt is now over 100 years since the Berlin Conference of 1884 which started the ‘Scramble for Africa’ whereby the various European powers carved up the African Continent between themselves. During the last century the relationship between Africa and Europe has changed dramatically – from a colonial to a post-colonial relationship, with, more recently, new patterns emerging as the Communist bloc has developed increasingly strong links with some countries and as the EEC as an institution has got more involved. First published in 1986, this book explores how the relationship between Africa and Europe has changed over the last hundred years, assesses the current state of relations and discusses how the relationship may develop in the future.
Africa and Fortress Europe: Threats and Opportunities
by Belachew GebrewoldThe number of African migrants attempting to enter Europe has increased. Within Europe, North African migrants are being accused of increased involvement in Islamic fundamentalism and terrorist activities after attacks on Madrid and London. Such terrorist attacks have become an urgent security concern for the European Union, forcing the EU to make migration a security policy. This volume examines the extent to which the EU is threatened by patterns of African crisis, alongside Africa's peace, security and development initiatives. The contributors analyze current migration flows from Africa to Europe, and the challenges and prospects of a comprehensive EU strategy for Africa. Intended for undergraduates, graduates and lecturers, the volume is ideal for courses that discuss the impact of African political developments on international politics.
Africa and France: Postcolonial Cultures, Migration, And Racism (African Expressive Cultures)
by Dominic ThomasThis stimulating and insightful book reveals how increased control over immigration has changed cultural and social production in theater, literature, and even museum construction. Dominic Thomas's analysis unravels the complex cultural and political realities of long-standing mobility between Africa and Europe. Thomas questions the attempt to place strict limits on what it means to be French or European and offers a sense of what must happen to bring about a renewed sense of integration and global Frenchness.
Africa and Global Health Governance: Domestic Politics and International Structures
by Amy S. PattersonA timely inquiry into how domestic politics and global health governance interact in Africa.Global health campaigns, development aid programs, and disaster relief groups have been criticized for falling into colonialist patterns, running roughshod over the local structure and authority of the countries in which they work. Far from powerless, however, African states play complex roles in health policy design and implementation. In Africa and Global Health Governance, Amy S. Patterson focuses on AIDS, the 2014–2015 Ebola outbreak, and noncommunicable diseases to demonstrate why and how African states accept, challenge, or remain ambivalent toward global health policies, structures, and norms.Employing in-depth analysis of media reports and global health data, Patterson also relies on interviews and focus-group discussions to give voice to the various agents operating within African health care systems, including donor representatives, state officials, NGOs, community-based groups, health activists, and patients. Showing the variety within broader patterns, this clearly written book demonstrates that Africa's role in global health governance is dynamic and not without agency. Patterson shows how, for example, African leaders engage with international groups, attempting to maintain their own leadership while securing the aid their people need. Her findings will benefit health and development practitioners, scholars, and students of global health governance and African politics.
Africa and Globalization: Challenges Of Governance And Creativity (African Histories And Modernities #51)
by Toyin Falola Kenneth KaluOffers thoughtful, accessible analysis of how African states have responded to the challenges of globalization.<P> Presents policy recommendations for helping African states to play more active and profitable roles in the global economy.<P> Includes perspectives from a wide variety of disciplines, including political science, economics, development studies, gender studies, and film studies.<P>This book considers the promises and challenges of globalization for Africa. Why have African states been perennially unable to diversify their economies and move beyond export of primary produce, even as Southeast Asia has made a tremendous leap into manufacturing? What institutional impediments are in play in African states? What reforms would mitigate the negative effects of globalization and distribute its benefits more equitably? Covering critical themes such as political leadership, security challenges, the creative sector, and community life, essays in this volume argue that the starting point for Africa’s meaningful engagement with the rest of the world must be to look inward, examine Africa’s institutions, and work towards reforms that promote inclusiveness and stability.