Ahmed Rashid is the voice of reason amid the chaos of Central Asia today. His unique knowledge of this complex, war-torn region gives him a panoramic vision and grasp of nuance that no Western writer can emulate. In Descent Into Chaos, Rashid reviews the regional conditions since 9/11 and the catastrophic aftermath of America’s failed war on terror. The underlying theme is clear, devastating …
The contents of this book: 1. Demography and Development 2. Education 3. Political System and Constitutions 4. Governance 5. Economy
Rather unexpectedly, a new phenomenon called the Taliban was sprung on an unsuspecting world in late 1994. Even those who knew about it earlier, looked upon it as just another Islamic fundamentalist faction ridden Afghan politics. But the Taliban's captures of Kabul in September 1996 and their claim to governance in the war-torn country introduces a new complexion on this band of mostly young A…
Since 9/11, the war in Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq, the West has been fighting a 'War on Terror', through force and through the building of new societies in the region. In this clear and devastating account, with unparalleled access and intimate knowledge of the political players, Descent into Chaos chronicles our failure. Having reported from central Asia for a quarter of a century…
In this penetrating series of essays, dwelling on diverse issues in India and abroad, Saeed Naqvi builds up a compelling case. That the Brahmin's stranglehold on political power in New Delhi may be coming to an end. With the self-assurance of someone who has won our affections, one off the most respected journalists of our day speak the truth as he sees it.
The Future of Iraq provides a primer on the history and political dynamics of this pivotal state divided by ethnic, religious and political antagonisms, and provocatively argues that the least discussed future of Iraq might be the best: managed partition. that even a significant American presence will not stabilize Iraq because it is an artificial state and its people have never shared a common…
This book describes the turbulent political history of Afghanistan from the communist upheaval of the 1970s through to the aftermath of the events of 11 September 2001. It reviews the importance of the region to external powers and explains why warfare and instability have been endemic. The author analyses in detail the birth of the Taliban and the bloody rise to power of fanatic Islamists, inc…
Clinton Fernandes traces the history of West Papua from the colonial era to its incorporation and full-scale transformation under Indonesian rule, and offers a penetrating analysis of the problems posed by the rise of the West Papuan independence movement for Australia's relations with Indonesia. Reluctant Indonesians issues a timely, provocative, and profound chattenge to the orthodox views o…
Despite numerous small success stories, the big picture of America's toxics programs is one of overall failure. Superfund has failed to clean up America's worst dump sites; policies to regulate generation of new hazardous waste have foundered; standards have been set for only eight of several hundred air toxics; transportation spills and industrial toxics accidents continue unabated. In part, t…
The suicide bombings carried out in London in 2005 by British Muslims revealed an enormous fifth column of Islamist terrorists and their sympathizers. Under the noses of British intelligence, London has become the European hub for the promotion, recruitment and financing of Islamic terror and extremism - so much so that it has been mockingly dubbed Londonistan. In this ground-breaking book Mela…