The Wars of Afghanistan: Messianic Terrorism, Tribal Conflicts, and the Failures of Great Powers

918 Pages·2011·9.58 MB·English

by  Peter Tomsen

Table of Contents

Title Page
Dedication
Table of Figures

Introduction
NOTE ABOUT TRANSLITERATION
CAST OF CHARACTERS

PART I - TRIBAL INCUBATOR
CHAPTER 1 - Padshahgardi
CHAPTER 2 - Shatter Zone
CHAPTER 3 - Tribe and Mosque
CHAPTER 4 - Modernizing Monarchs
CHAPTER 5 - Red Sunrise

PART II - FISSION
CHAPTER 6 - Commissar Meets Tribesman
CHAPTER 7 - Big Fox Catches Little Fox
CHAPTER 8 - Green Dawn
CHAPTER 9 - Insubordinate Puppets
CHAPTER 10 - The General’s Vision

PART III - MISSION TO THE MUJAHIDIN
CHAPTER 11 - Mission Impossible
CHAPTER 12 - Potemkin Government
THE MULLAH WARRIOR
THE IKHWANI
THE WAHHABI
THE PRESIDENT
THE RELUCTANT PIR
A GENTLE RASPUTIN
CHAPTER 13 - Pakistan Pivots
CHAPTER 14 - Tilting at Windmills
CHAPTER 15 - Wahhabi Emirate
CHAPTER 16 - Desperately Seeking Moderates
CHAPTER 17 - Irreconcilable Policies
CHAPTER 18 - From Marx to Mullahs
CHAPTER 19 - From One War to the Next

PART IV - AMERICA AND AFGHANISTAN
CHAPTER 20 - Unholy Alliance
CHAPTER 21 - Between the Lions
CHAPTER 22 - Yankee Meets Tribesman
CHAPTER 23 - From Victory to Stalemate
CHAPTER 24 - Needed: Real Change
CHAPTER 25 - The Way Ahead
DESTINATION 2020
A NEW U.S. POLICY

Acknowledgements
APPENDICES
NOTES
INDEX
Copyright Page
Table of Figures

FIGURE 4.1 SEEDS OF THE MUSAHIBAN ROYAL RIFT
FIGURE 6.1 MAJOR SOVIET INSTITUTIONS MAKING AFGHAN POLICY
FIGURE 10.1 ARAB GROUPS COOPERATING WITH THE ISI ON THE
PAKISTANI FRONTIER, 1980–1989
FIGURE 11.1 MAJOR BUREAUCRATIC ACTORS ON AFGHAN POLICY
FIGURE 12.1 THE SEVEN PESHAWAR PARTY LEADERS
FIGURE 14.1 PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTERS DISMISSED, 1990–1999
FIGURE 23.1 AMERICAN PREEMINENCE, AFGHAN DEPENDENCE
Dedicated to my amazing wife, Kim
INTRODUCTION
America and its allies are mired in Afghanistan’s endless war. It is still possible
to achieve an acceptable outcome, but only if our policies respect Afghan history
and culture and we heed the lessons of past foreign interventions.
That is why I wrote this book.
My motive sprang from concerns for our national interests and the desire of
Afghans, Americans, and the broad international community to break the cycle
of tragic wars in Afghanistan.
I have been personally involved in Afghan affairs for over two decades,
including three years as U.S. special envoy to the Afghan resistance (1989–
1992). This book reflects my firsthand experiences as well as my interviews of
other eyewitnesses. It also draws upon the works of scholars, historians,
journalists, and diplomats. It plows new ground in over six hundred newly
declassified State Department, Pentagon, and CIA documents. It traces the sagas
of the major actors since the 1979 Soviet invasion, many of whom I have known
well. Where possible, I have presented documentary evidence and references to
back up explanations and conclusions. The opinions and characterizations in this
book, however, are my own and do not represent official positions of the United
States government.
There has been an explosion of documentaries and commentary on Afghanistan
since 9/11. But a pervasive ignorance about this unique country and its history,
culture, and tribal society persists in the West. Our misreading of the Afghan
environment and Pakistan’s intentions in Afghanistan are the main reasons why
America and the international coalition are today bogged down in the Afghan
quagmire, wondering how this has happened despite the commitment of over
100,000 troops and $330 billion. If the United States does not change its
policies, conditions in Afghanistan will look even worse in 2014 when the
American-led combat troop drawdown is tentatively scheduled to end and the
next constitutionally mandated Afghan presidential election is to take place.