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Bezig met laden... War Comes to Garmser: Thirty Years of Conflict on the Afghan Frontierdoor Carter Malkasian
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![]() Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek. ![]() I have never been to Garmser, but I found this book intriguing nonetheless - I wish that my unit and I had had something similar specifically for Marjah and the surrounding areas before going to that town. The author has clearly done a lot of research and does a good job of describing the Byzantine politics and feuding of that part of the country. I particularly appreciated that there were no obvious political sides taken - the focus is on the Afghans, regardless of who was making what decisions anywhere else. The work is dense, with an immense number of names, plots and plans and schemes that are difficult to follow, and includes descriptions of several layers of society and how they worked with, for, and against one another to defeat, conspire with, or actively aid the Taliban, the central Afghan government, and/or the foreigners. I would not have it any other way, as anything but this would be shortchanging the reader by presenting an overly simplified version of reality. It is not that it is completely physically impossible to understand what is going on - it is more that it is impossible to explain what is going on quickly. I would suggest that anyone going to Garmser for pretty much any reason read this book, whether for interesting background information, an idea of what various levels of Afghan society are like, or a number of other things. ![]() ![]() The book goes into how two different views of society can clash and create a lack of understanding between the two. US officers and advisers learned that in some cases it was best to step back and allow the Afghans to “do it their way” instead of trying to follow American procedures. The Taliban were very successful in ruling Garmser, but that was primarily because of their totalitarian way of ruling and their harsh justice system. The Taliban also relied heavily on the Mullahs and other religious leaders to give themselves legitimacy. When the United States moved in and wanted to establish a democratic form of government the two societies clash and there had to be some give and take on both sides. Eventually a majority of the people of Garmser began to support the new government and prosperity was returning to the district. But then 2011 game along and the drawdown of American troops began and Malkasian wonders if the new fledging government can withstand an onslaught from the Taliban whom have been biding their time in Pakistan. As 2012 rolled around it appeared that Garmser might withstand new attacks with the American military advisers that have been left behind. Only time will tell. Malkasian’s book is very thought provoking and a very interesting read for anyone interested in Afghanistan. As he states near the end of the book that this probably will not be the last time that the US will become involved in a conflict in a developing country. There are lessons to be learned here and I believe Malkasian lays out the facts in hopes that the lessons will be taken to heart and the Untied States and do a better job the next time. We can only hope that the little time that was used to set up the government in Garmser will be enough for it to stand up against all outsiders. A very excellent read and study of the Afghanistan conflict. ![]() geen besprekingen | voeg een bespreking toe
Prijzen
If you want to understand Afghanistan, writes Carter Malkasian, you need to understand what has happened on the ground, in the villages and countryside that were on the frontline. These small places are the heart of the war. Modeled on the classic Vietnam War book, War Comes to Long An, Malkasian's War Comes to Garmser promises to be a landmark account of the war in Afghanistan. The author, who spent nearly two years in Garmser, a community in war-torn Helmand province, tells the story of this one small place through the jihad, the rise and fall of Taliban regimes, and American and British sur Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
Deelnemer aan LibraryThing Vroege RecensentenCarter Malkasian's boek War Comes to Garmser: Thirty Years of Conflict on the Afghan Frontier was beschikbaar via LibraryThing Early Reviewers. Actuele discussiesGeenPopulaire omslagen
![]() GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)958.104History and Geography Asia Central Asia AfghanistanLC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:![]()
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The biggest issue that I had with the book is that Malkasian's chapter on conclusions makes him come across as a fence-sitter. He mentions different decisions that could have been made and lays out the strengths and weaknesses of each but often stops short of making a definite decision on what the best course of action would be. Furthermore, he points out that part of the problem in Afghanistan is the the Taliban has had a safe-haven in Pakistan, but he does not adequately discuss what can be done to mitigate that safe haven.
Overall, I liked the book and found it to be a good exposition on the war, but I would have liked to have seen Malkasian take more of a stand about what he believes could have been done differently. It is one thing to say that mistakes have been made. It is quite another to supply definite solutions. Perhaps other historians will build on his work take a look at those issues. Malkasian has provided a step towards better understanding of this conflict even if he hasn't provided the final step. (