Cascoly - Amazon Books

Afghanistan - Iraq - Taliban

Taliban - Ahmed Rashid

Rashid's book describes regional instability before 9/11 and shows the historical ethnic reasons for modern alliances. Published presciently in 2000, he analyses without the benefit of hindsigh -- particularly the US - Taliban relationship dictated more by Unocal oil interests and an anti Iran foreign policy than by consideration of the Taliban's actual actions

Descent into Chaos -Ahmed Rashid

is the disturbing sequel to the first book, following events in Central Asia to 2008

The Gilgit Game and When Men & Mountains Meet

John Keay's classic accounts of the British attempts to explore and subdue Afghanistan and Pakistan's Northwest Frontier

The Storyteller�s Daughter - Saira Shah

RESURRECTING EMPIRE - Rashid Khalili

Western Footprints and America's Perilous Path in the Middle East

Night Draws Near

Deja vu

- several recent books off history evoke modern parallels:

- an American president seeks to avoid difficulties with domestic politics by making a preemptive attack on a vastly inferior nation. The initial invasion goes well, but is soon bogged down when the mismatched enemy forces refuse to come out in open field battle. ..... however, this war took place 150 years ago!

An invading force gets bogged down in New Jersey and fights an insurgency