Afghanistan: The Labyrinth of Violence

Afghanistanhasbecomesynonymouswithviolence.Inthepast25yearsalone,thecountryhasenduredRussianinvasionandoccupation,civilwarandaUS–ledmilitarycampaign,resultinginthecombinedlossofover2millionlives,mostofthemcivilian.Evennow,followingtheoverthrowoftheTalibanregime,oldethnicanimositieshaveresurfacedwhichseemlikelytopushthecountryintoanotherspellofinternalwar.ButwhyisitthatAfghanistanhasexperiencedsuchbloodyconflictandslaughter?Whatfactorshaveallowedthecountrytobeexploitedbyexternalpowerswhohaveintervenedtodetermineitspolitics,socialstructureand,consequently,itsplaceintheworld?Inthisfascinatingnewbook,AmalenduMisraseekstoprovideanswerstothesepressingquestions.ByanalysingthenatureofconflictinAfghanistan,heexposesthevariousgeopolitical,ethnic,economicandreligiousvariableswhichhavecontributedtothebreakdownoftheAfghanstate,andponderswhetherpost–warreconstructioncouldleadtoamoredemocraticandpeacefulAfghanistan.