In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan (Hardcover)

In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan (Hardcover)
by Seth G. Jones

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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Since 2001, RAND Corporation political scientist Jones (The Rise of European Security Cooperation) has

been observing the reinvigorated insurgency in Afghanistan and weighing the potency of its threat to the

country's future and American interests in the region. Jones finds the roots of the re-emergence in the expected

areas: the deterioration of security after the ousting of the Taliban regime in 2002, the U.S.'s focus on Iraq as its

foreign policy priority and Pakistan's role as a haven for insurgents. He revisits Afghan history, specifically the

invasions by the British in the mid- and late-19th century and the Russians in the late-20th to rue how little the

U.S. has learned from these two previous wars. He sheds light on why Pakistan—a consistent supporter of the

Taliban—continues to be a key player in the region's future. Jones makes important arguments for the inclusion

of local leaders, particularly in rural regions, but his diligent panorama of the situation fails to consider whether

the war in Afghanistan is already lost. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
A deeply researched, clearly written, and well-analyzed account of the failures of American policies in

Afghanistan, In the Graveyard of Empires lays out a plan to avoid a potential quagmire. This timely book will be

mandatory reading for policymakers from Washington to Kabul but it will also help to inform Americans who

want to understand what is likely to be the greatest foreign policy challenge of the Obama administration. (Peter

Bergen, author of Holy War, Inc. and The Osama bin Laden I Know )A great story, a convincing explanation, and a persuasive prescription for dealing with Afghanistan's ongoing

civil war.... Jones' book will be the essential guide for anyone interested in understanding this still escalating

conflict. (James Dobbins, the Bush Administration's first special envoy for Afghanistan )

No one understands the successes and failures of American policy in Afghanistan better than Seth Jones....If

you read just one book about the Taliban, terrorism, and the United States, this is the place to start. (Jeremi

Suri, Professor of history, University of Wisconsin )

[D]estined to become the standard text on America's involvement in Afghanistan. It is a timely and important

work, without peer in terms of both its scholarship and the author's intimate knowledge of the country, the

insurgency threatening it, and the challenges in defeating it. (Professor Bruce Hoffman, Georgetown University

and author of Inside Terrorism )

I have served in Afghanistan several times, so was interested in an examination of U.S. efforts there. I was

pleasantly surprised. "In the Graveyard of Empires" is the best book I've read on the current situation in

Afghanistan. Period. I was particularly impressed by two issues.

The first was the careful, balanced, and detailed look at the rise of the insurgency. Jones's book is not political,

but rather thoroughly researched with well over a thousand footnotes -- many of them primary sources (including

his own interviews). I suspect there are few, if any, Americans who have the detailed, on-the-ground knowledge

of the country that Jones has. The second was the historical nature of the book. Jones looks briefly at the

Alexander the Great era, but has some great chapters up front that cite declassified U.S., KGB, and other

intelligence assessments. Really solid work.

In sum, I would strongly recommend this book to any one -- Republican, Democrat, independent, or other -- that

has an interest in Afghanistan. This is the best there is on the market.