This book, first published in 1982, examines the reality of the so-called revolution in Afghanistan. It focuses on the career of Hafizullah Amin, considered in the West as a near-genocidal mass murderer, intent on establishing a personal fiefdom in Afghanistan. However, this book argues that he was a man struggling against impossible odds to preserve his country’s independence and at the same time drag it into the twentieth century. He commanded such loyalty and support within the Afghanistan Communist Party and the armed forces that the Russians had to invade to get rid of him.
How, despite the enormous investment of blood and treasure, has the West's ten-year intervention left Afghanistan so lawless and insecure? The answer is more insidious than any conspiracy, for it begins with a profound lack of understanding of the rule of law, the very thing that most dramatically separates Western societies from the benighted ones in which they increasingly intervene. This volume of essays argues that the rule of law is not a set of institutions that can be exported lock, stock and barrel to lawless lands, but a state of affairs under which ordinary people and officials of the state itself feel it makes sense to act within the law. Where such a state of affairs is absent, as in Afghanistan today, brute force, not law, will continue to rule.
Analysing policy documents from nine counterinsurgency wars, Elias asks why powerful militaries have difficulty managing local partners. Revealing a critical political dynamic in military interventions, this book will appeal to academics and policymakers addressing counterinsurgency issues in foreign policy, security studies and political science.
The book provides an updated account of justice reform in Afghanistan, which started in the wake of the US-led military intervention of 2001. In particular, it focuses on the role of international actors and their interaction with local stakeholders, highlighting some provisional results, together with problems and dilemmas encountered in the reform activities. Since the mid-1990s, justice system reform has become increasingly important in state-building operations, particularly with regard to the international administrations of Bosnia, Kosovo, East Slavonia and East Timor. Statebuilding and Justice Reform examines in depth the reform of justice in Afghanistan, evaluating whether the success of reform may be linked to any specific feature or approach. In doing so, it stresses the need for development programmes in the field of justice to be implemented through a multilateral approach, involving domestic authorities and other relevant stakeholders. Success is therefore linked to limiting the political interests of donors; establishing functioning pooled financing mechanisms; restricting the use of bilateral projects; improving the efficacy of technical and financial aid; and concentrating the attention on the ‘demand for justice’ at local level rather than on the traditional supply of financial and technical assistance. This book will be of much interest to students of Afghanistan, intervention and statebuilding, peacekeeping, and post-conflict reconstruction, as well as International Relations in general. Matteo Tondini is a researcher and a legal advisor. He has served as a project advisor to the Embassy of Italy in Kabul, Development Cooperation Unit, working within the ‘Afghanistan Justice Program’ and has a Phd in Political Systems and Institutional Change, from the Institute of Advanced Studies, Lucca, Italy.
Through the reconstruction of episodes of Afghanistan's military history, this book seeks to reevaluate the Afghan 'Way of War', showing that, despite the stereotypes of guerrilla warriors imbued with religious fanaticism, Afghans have constantly adapted to new threats. Indeed, the Afghan way of war has been one of constant change.
A comprehensive A–Z study of the history of conflict in Afghanistan from 1747 to the present. This authoritative, clearly written volume covers all aspects of the conflicts that have taken place in Afghanistan from 1747 to the present. Conflict in Afghanistan provides the reader with a historical overview of hostilities in Afghanistan and discusses their causes, history, and impact on Afghan society and on regional and international relations. A single A–Z section covers the three main eras in Afghanistan's history: the period from 1747, when Afghanistan first emerged as a "unified" state; the Soviet era (1979–1989), which saw the overthrow of the monarchy, the declaration of the Republic, and the rise of the Mujahideen; and the post-Soviet period, which brought civil war, the rise of the Taliban, and finally the events of September 11 and the War on Terrorism, both of which receive special attention.
Reviews of previous editions: `This book should be in every office which is concerned with world trade and, indeed, in every school which produces the future traders. It is an essential tool of all global thinking.' - The Geographical Magazine The 132nd edition of The Statesman's Year-Book has been thoroughly revised and updated to present a political, economic and social record of the nations of the world in a period of continuing changes. Areas covered range from history, population, constitution and government, international relations, energy and natural resources, industry, agriculture, international trade, communications, industry, agriculture, justice, religion and education. Important features of this edition include recent developments in the European Union, Bosnia, Israel, Russia and South Africa, new national anthems, and updates on radio and television broadcasting services. Last year also saw the introduction of locator maps for each country. The Statesman's Year-Book was chosen by The Good Book Guide for Business as one of the 600 essential books for the international manager
