Afghanistan: What Everyone Needs to Know (R)

Afghanistan, a landlocked country in Central Asia, has been at the center of international geopolitics for four decades. It descended into an unending conflict after the Soviet Union invaded in 1980, and in the mid-1990s, the Taliban took power and imposed order based on a harsh, repressive version of Islamic law. Osama bin Laden's attack on 9/11 Towers ushered in the Global War on Terror, and American troops remain in the country today. In Afghanistan: What Everyone Needs to Know®, leading scholar Barnett R. Rubin provides an overview of the country's history, peoples, cultures, and relations with neighbors, and explores the conflicts that have plagued it since the Soviet invasion.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 352 pages
\n Publication date: 22 October 2020
\n Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc
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Afghanistan, a landlocked country in Central Asia, has been at the center of international geopolitics for four decades. After the Soviet Union invaded in 1980, Afghanistan descended into an unending conflict that featured at various points most of the world's major powers. In the mid-1990s, the country entered a new phase, when the Taliban took power and imposed order based on a harsh, repressive version of Islamic law. Infamously, the sheltered Osama bin Laden, whose attack on the 9/11 Towers ushered in the Global War on Terror, drew tens of thousands of American troops to the country, where they remain today.

In Afghanistan: What Everyone Needs to Know®, leading scholar Barnett R. Rubin provides an overview of this complicated nation. After providing a concise history of Afghanistan, he explores the various peoples and cultures of the country and its relations with neighbors like Pakistan and Iran. He also provides an authoritative overview of the conflicts that have plagued the country since the Soviet invasion. Both wide-ranging and pithy, this book explains why Afghanistan matters and what its possible future might look like.

The book begins with a brief history of Afghanistan, tracing its origins back to the ancient Silk Road and its role as a crossroads of civilizations. Rubin explains how the country has been shaped by its geography, with its rugged mountains and vast deserts providing a haven for rebels and outlaws. He also discusses the country's complex political history, including the rise and fall of the Taliban, the Soviet invasion, and the subsequent American intervention.

Rubin then delves into the various peoples and cultures of Afghanistan, including the Pashtuns, Hazaras, Tajiks, and Uzbeks. He explores their distinct traditions, languages, and customs, and how they have been affected by the country's long history of conflict. He also discusses the role of women in Afghan society, and how the Taliban's strict interpretation of Islamic law has limited their rights and opportunities.

The book also provides an authoritative overview of the conflicts that have plagued Afghanistan since the Soviet invasion. Rubin explains how the country has become a proxy battleground for regional and global powers, with the United States, Russia, and Pakistan all vying for influence and control. He discusses the role of the United Nations and other international organizations in trying to promote peace and stability in the country, and the challenges they face in achieving their goals.

In conclusion, Afghanistan: What Everyone Needs to Know® is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to this complex and fascinating country. Rubin provides a wealth of information and insight into Afghanistan's history, peoples, and cultures, and his analysis of the country's conflicts is both insightful and timely. This book is an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the world's most troubled region and the challenges it faces.

\n Weight: 400g\n
Dimension: 140 x 209 x 26 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780190496647\n \n