A Bitter Harvest: Us Foreign Policy and Afghanistan FROM THE PUBLISHER
This books presents a historical overview of the causes and legacy of Afghanistan's internal conflict; explores the role and influence of the actors involved, including the various ethnic and religious groups and external powers such as the United States and the Soviet Union; and provides the framework for a broader exploration of US policy toward Afghanistan.
SYNOPSIS
George W. Bush's bombing of Afghanistan is hardly the first time that U.S. foreign policy has played a role in the lives of Afghans. Lansford (U. of Southern Mississippi) examines this history, beginning with a description of the legacies of British colonialism, but concentrating on the Cold War battle between the Soviet Union and the U.S., as it played itself out in the mountains of Afghanistan. The failure of the Soviet Union, not to mention their British predecessors, to set up a central government recognized outside the cities is highlighted, although Lansford seems convinced that the U.S. can overcome such historical examples. He is critical of earlier U.S. policies, which led to the training and strengthening of the mujahideen and the spread of U.S.-supplied weaponry around the world. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
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