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elfbiter ([personal profile] elfbiter) wrote2017-05-16 12:00 am

Afghanistan

Stephen Tanner – Afghanistan – A military history from Alexander the Great to the Fall of Taliban


I actually was inspired to finally read this (it had been in my shelf for some time) when an Afghan regufee became my temporary coworker. He actually recognized the figure in the cover as Afghan Shah Massoud. It is literally military history about the region what is now Afghanistan – omitting or simplifying many other details.

Part about Alexander the Great actually describes Alexander's campaign at length outside of what is now Afghanistan, taking major part of the first chapters of the book. That is partially due to the fact that sources are scarce in the time before that or between that and before the British involvement (and multiple defeats) in the region. However, especially the section about the British does not tell anything new about it – at least to me.

Things kind of heat up after Soviet-lead communist regime takes over and the war begins.

Also: the ”fall of Taliban” is kind of a out of date since Taliban is still active force in Afghanistan – albeit sometimes called ”neo-Taliban” since they have changed their stance in some matters to get more support.



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