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In the Graveyard of Empires: America’s War in Afghanistan Audiobook
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(3.03) - 323 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
This definitive account of the American experience in Afghanistan is a political history of Afghanistan in the “Age of Terror” from 2001 to 2009, exploring the fundamental tragedy of America’s longest war since Vietnam. After the swift defeat of the Taliban in 2001, American optimism has steadily evaporated in the face of mounting violence; a new “war of a thousand cuts” has brought the country to its knees.
After a brief survey of the great empires in Afghanistan, Seth G. Jones examines the central question of our own war: how did an insurgency develop? Following September 11, the United States successfully overthrew the Taliban regime. It established security throughout the country, and Afghanistan finally began to emerge from more than two decades of conflict. But Jones argues that, as early as 2001, planning for the Iraq War siphoned off resources and talented personnel, undermining the gains that had been made. After eight years, the United States had pushed al-Qaeda’s headquarters about one hundred miles across the border into Pakistan.
While observing the tense, often adversarial relationship between NATO allies in the Coalition, Jones introduces us to key figures on both sides of the war. Using important new research and integrating thousands of declassified government documents, Jones analyzes the insurgency from a historical and structural point of view, showing how a rising drug trade, poor security forces, and pervasive corruption undermined the Karzai government, while Americans abandoned a successful strategy, failed to provide the necessary support, and allowed a growing sanctuary for insurgents in Pakistan to catalyze the Taliban resurgence.
Examining what has worked thus far—and what has not—this serious and important book underscores the challenges we face in stabilizing the country and explains where we went wrong and what we must do to avoid the disastrous fate that has befallen many of the great world powers to enter the region.
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"Seth Jones, and the Rand Institute, in The Graveyard Of Empires, have a grim prediction for the United State in Afghanistan, and how little the U.S. has learned from previous British and Russian campaigns in the country, but also some enlightening points like empowering elders. An excellent read! "
— Greg (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“[Jones] zero[es] in on what went awry after America’s successful routing of the Taliban in late 2001. His narrative is fleshed out with information from declassified government documents and interviews with military officers, diplomats, and national security experts familiar with events on the ground in Afghanistan.”
— New York Times -
“Seth Jones has the answer to the million-dollar question…Until Seth Jones, nobody actually sought an empirical answer. Nobody crunched the numbers.”
— Esquire -
“Gauging whether the US and its allies can succeed in Afghanistan is only part of what Jones’ excellent book is about.”
— Financial Times -
“A useful and generally lively account of what can go wrong when outsiders venture onto the Afghan landscape. Those ventures have generally not turned out well…This is ominous, because [Jones] knows too much about recent interventions for his pessimism to be disregarded.”
— Foreign Affairs -
“Political scientist Jones’ groundbreaking, detailed account of American involvement in Afghanistan from the Soviet invasion of 1979 through 2009 is finally available on audio. Drawing from declassified documents and interviews with military, political, and national security experts, Jones holds that the United States followed the same failed path taken in Afghanistan by both Britain and the former Soviet Union. The chapter outlining the theoretical basis for insurgency is particularly enlightening. Voice-over artist William Hughes does an excellent job of presenting this important work, a definitive account of perhaps the most questionable American military and foreign policy exercise since Vietnam. Essential listening for all.”
— Library Journal (starred audio review)
Awards
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Recipient of the 2010 Arthur Ross Book Award Silver Medal
In the Graveyard of Empires Listener Reviews
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" This is a very detailed book. I read it to get a better understanding of what happened previously in Afghanistan so I could better understand what we are doing there today. It was very good for this purpose. I didn't need all the exacting detail so I did skim portions of the book. I do feel that I have a much better understanding of Taliban, al Qaida, why they are so pissed and what we are doing there and why it is so hard. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a better understanding of what has got us to this point. "
— Marie, 2/18/2014 -
" Good read with lots of good information. I only gave it three stars instead of four because I had read some of the information contained already in some other books on Afghanistan. "
— Josh, 1/25/2014 -
" The best history of post-9/11 Afghanistan and the U.S.-led war there. The afterword is an excellent synopsis of why the war matters and how to finish the job. "
— Paul, 1/24/2014 -
" Decent history of our muddled engagement in Afghanistan over the past 10 yrs, worth a read for a good surface-level history... "
— Noah, 1/10/2014 -
" A very good review of the myriad of factors influencing the situation in Afghanistan as of early 2009. Very good detail for anyone deploying or working on the region. The summary chapter is anti-climatic as the recommendations are not comprehensive and were already being incorporated in ISAF and the 2008 USG strategic review (and are included in the 2009 US Administration strategic guidance - Mar 09 White Paper). "
— Gordon, 1/2/2014 -
" Really clear account of our involvement in Afghanistan, and where and why things have gone wrong. Very readable, very well researched, and credible too. Totally worthwhile, especially if paired with 'Ghost Wars' by Steve Coll. "
— Wendy, 12/28/2013 -
" Seth Jones, and the Rand Institute, in The Graveyard Of Empires, have a grim prediction for the United State in Afghanistan, and how little the U.S. has learned from previous British and Russian campaigns in the country, but also some enlightening points like empowering elders. An excellent read! "
— Greg, 12/26/2013 -
" It was informative, though a bit slow... "
— Shaina, 10/24/2013 -
" This is the most definitive book I've read on Afghanistan since 9/11. The historical research in the early chapters -- using declassified US government documents -- is also illuminating. "
— Mark, 9/27/2013 -
" Interesting read. filled in some blanks for me about Alexanders conquests there, and the 2 british incursions. Later part was ok, but was stationed there and kept abreat of situation with friends and my own research. "
— Bob, 5/22/2013 -
" Great book for a base line of current day Afghanistan. "
— Donni, 3/18/2013 -
" A good concise summary of the causes and history of our quagmire in Afghanistan. Much more readable, shorter and just as informative as "Descent Into Chaos" which I also recently read. "
— Pat, 8/12/2012 -
" Very helpful for understanding the war in Afghanistan. "
— Chloe, 4/19/2012 -
" Just getting started; not nearly as well written as Ghost Wars. Still covering the periods before the American forces enter. "
— Bruce, 3/21/2012 -
" Jones makes it very clear what went wrong in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2006 in the context of what had gone wrong earlier for the Greeks, british, and Russians. He provides a daunting description of the obstacles to success. "
— Larry, 3/6/2012 -
" essential reading for those interested in understanding Afghanistan up till 2009. "
— Paul, 12/24/2011 -
" Just getting started; not nearly as well written as Ghost Wars. Still covering the periods before the American forces enter. "
— Bruce, 2/18/2011 -
" Interesting read. filled in some blanks for me about Alexanders conquests there, and the 2 british incursions. Later part was ok, but was stationed there and kept abreat of situation with friends and my own research. "
— Bob, 2/12/2011 -
" Jones makes it very clear what went wrong in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2006 in the context of what had gone wrong earlier for the Greeks, british, and Russians. He provides a daunting description of the obstacles to success. "
— Larry, 6/29/2010 -
" Good read with lots of good information. I only gave it three stars instead of four because I had read some of the information contained already in some other books on Afghanistan. "
— Josh, 5/17/2010
About Seth G. Jones
Seth G. Jones is the director of RAND’s International Security and Defense Policy Center, an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University, and the author of In the Graveyard of Empires and Hunting in the Shadows. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
About William Hughes
William Hughes is an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. A professor of political science at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon, he received his doctorate in American politics from the University of California at Davis. He has done voice-over work for radio and film and is also an accomplished jazz guitarist.