UNDERSTANDING WAR AFGHANISTAN PA

The war in Afghanistan is now the United States' longestrunning war. For over a decade, the conflict raging in Central Asia has beenthe stage for some of the shrewdest foreign policy, fiercest wartime strategy,and most delicate diplomacy the world has ever seen. In a country smaller thanTexas-and home to 30 million people-an elusive enemy, shifting tribal dynamics,and bordering countries threaten the stability not only of the region, but ofthe world. There can be no doubt that the war in Afghanistan, as complex as itis fascinating, will be the defining conflict for generations to come. Understanding War inAfghanistan is an invaluable primer, a book that aims to clarify andexplain the country as well as the war. With chapters on the Afghan people,their culture, the history leading up to the war, the Taliban, 9/11, and thevarious phases of the fighting itself, UnderstandingWar in Afghanistan is required reading for anyone wanting to understand oneof the most important chapters in U.S. history. Included in the book aredetailed physiographic, administrative, and linguistic maps of the country tosupplement the author's nuanced analysis of the region and the war.