Afghanistan declassified

the long version

"[The author] brings the country to life through his own travel experiences-- from living with Northern Alliance warlords to working on a major NATO base. National heroes are introduced, Afghanistan's varied ethnic groups are explored, and key battles, both ancient and current, are retold ... Provides essential background to the war, tracing the rise, fall, and reemergence of the Taliban. Special sections deal with topics such as the CIA's Predator drone campaign in the Pakistani tribal zones, the spread of suicide bombing from Iraq to the Afghan theater of operations, and comparisons between the Soviet and U.S. experiences in Afghanistan"--Jacket.