Pakistan on the Brink: The Future of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the West - Softcover

Ahmed Rashid

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1846145872 ISBN 13: 9781846145872

Publisher: Allen Lane, 2012

Synopsis

The leading journalist on Pakistan lays out America's options with Pakistan and Afghanistan in the post-Bin Laden years.

What are the possibilities-and hazards-facing America as it withdraws from Afghanistan and as it reviews its long engagement in Pakistan? Where is the Taliban now in both these countries? What does the immediate future hold and what are America's choices as President Obama considers our complicated history and faces reelection?

These are some of the crucial questions that Ahmed Rashid- Pakistan's preeminent journalist-takes on in this follow-up to his acclaimed "Descent into Chaos." Rashid correctly predicted that the Iraq war would have to be refocused into Afghanistan and that Pakistan would emerge as the leading player through which American interests and actions would have to be directed. Now, as Washington and the rest of the West wrestle with negotiating with unreliable and unstable "allies" in Pakistan, there is no better guide to the dark future than Ahmed Rashid.

He focuses on the long-term problems-the changing casts of characters, the future of international terrorism, and the actual policies and strategies both within Pakistan and Afghanistan and among the Western allies-as the world tries to bring some stability to a fractured region saddled with a legacy of violence and corruption. The decisions made by America and the West will affect the security and safety of the world. And as he has done so well in the past, Rashid offers sensible solutions and provides a way forward for all three countries.

About this title

About the Author

Ahmed Rashid is an expert on Central Asia, on jihad and Muslim extremists movements, on the Taliban and Al Qaeda, on insurgency, and on the catastrophe of US policy in this region, on which he has reported for twenty-five years. Author of three books, his work Taliban was a huge international bestseller, widely recognised as the definitive account. He has personally met and interviewed many of the key players in Central Asia. He writes regularly for the Financial Times, Washington Post and the International Herald Tribune, among others. Descent into Chaos was shortlisted for the Lionel Gelber Prize for non-fiction and won the Italian Tiziano Terzani prize.

Review

The foremost chronicler of modern Afghan and Pakistani history The Times Pakistan's best and bravest reporter -- Christopher Hitchens A journalist of the highest narrative and analytic gifts -- Max Hastings His knowledge of events and people there is second to none -- Kim Sengupta

Edition details

• Publisher: Allen Lane
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1846145872
• ISBN 13: 9781846145872
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 256