Conflict in Afghanistan - Softcover

Ewans, Martin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0415758874 ISBN 13: 9780415758871

Publisher: Routledge, 2014

Synopsis

Asymmetric warfare, involving conflicts where smaller powers apply their strengths against the weaknesses of a more powerful opponent, has become a key modern concern since the September 11th attacks. Conflict in Afghanistan tackles this issue by examining the five wars Afghanistan has waged against foreign powers over the past two centuries, all of which have involved forms of asymmetric warfare.

Incorporating contemporary documents and material from Soviet archives, the text analyzes each war’s antecedents, conduct, and consequences. Important questions are asked about the role of religious beliefs, fanaticism, diplomacy, governmental decision-making and military competence, issues that have great contemporary relevance. The book provides an illuminating commentary of Afghanistan’s wars and examines the relevance of these conflicts to the modern-day challenge of counter-insurgency and asymmetric warfare.

About this title

About the Author:

Sir Martin Ewans is a retired diplomat with considerable experience of South Asia, including three years as Head of Chancery in Kabul.

Review:

'The principal arguement of the book, has to do with what is called "asymmetric warfare", that is how a weak power fights a stronger one. His sensible conlusion is that great modern powers should be wary of embarking on contests with smaller countries and should be much more serious about first exhausting the resources of diplomacy. In the end, he (Ewans) remarks rather sententiously, asymmetric warefare is about hearts and minds.' - Asian Studies

'The authors judgements on each conflict are pursuasive and in line with commonly accepted historical views.' - M. E. Yapp

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0415758874
• ISBN 13: 9780415758871
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208