Ahmed Rashid: Descent into Chaos

I just finished Rashid's 2008 book Descent into Chaos: The United States and the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. It was a detailed account of the tragedies and developments in Central Asia by someone who was there 'on the ground' when the misguided military interventions in that region began. It was a fascinating read.

The Amazon description:

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 and deeply critical of current U.S. foreign policy. Iraq is essentially a sideshow. Pakistan and Afghanistan are where the war really began. Pakistan remains the crucial resource and key player, and Afghanistan is where the fight against Islamic insurgency is eventually going to be played out.

Ahmed Rashid احمد رشید (b. 1948) is a former Pakistani revolutionary, a journalist and best-selling author of several books about Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia.

Below are two interviews with Rashid (conducted in 2001 and 2008) and a link to an talk he gave at the World Affairs Council in Washington DC in 2009:

December 19, 2001:

June 10, 2008:

Ahmed Rashid: Descent into Chaos (2009)