Quick Reads

A number of interesting books came out over the last couple of months

Historic Relationship

In this book, a long sweep of historical overview covers the period from the ancient times, wherein there was a flow of ideas, philosophies, trade and commerce between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent, with Afghanistan acting as a bridge, to the comparatively recent times. From there on, the Pashtun monarchies, the stable rule of the last king Zahir Shah until the Daud Khan coup have also been covered. Destabilizing factors, including the Durand Line, Pashtun nationalism, irredentism, Cold War, the long-term impact of Soviet intervention as well as the US proxy war through Pakistan, and how this led to Islamization and weaponization of Afghanistan have been discussed, writes an old Afghan hand, Lt Gen. R.K. Sawhney, in the introduction to this anthology.

AFGHANISTAN: THROUGH THE FOG OF INSTABILITY
Edited by R.K. S