The Punishment of Virtue: Inside Afghanistan After the Taliban
by Sarah Chayes
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Book Summary Information
Author: Sarah ChayesEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-06-26
ISBN: 0143112066
Number of pages: 400
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Book Reviews of The Punishment of Virtue: Inside Afghanistan After the Taliban
Book Review: Required Reading for All
Summary: 5 Stars
THE PUNISHMENT OF VIRTUE should be required reading for all American policy makers dealing with the "Afghanistan Problem". It should also be required of all Americans whether or not they support our military efforts. The author, who happens to be a very good writer, blends her own experience and observations with a thorough research of the history of the country to tell her compelling narrative about the death of a virtuous man in Afghanistan.
The history of Afghanistan reminds us of how old this civiliation is and how much warfare it has seen through the centuries. The history tells us a great deal about the character of the Afghan people whose country has been used as a battle ground by Pakistan, India, Russia, Iran and the United States in their own eternal power struggles.
Most importantly this book demonstrates the fundamental problems of dealing with an entire people who are suffering from Post Tramatic Stress Syndrome. Some kind of fighting has been going on non stop since 1978 - and sporatically before that. Alliances shift. Loyalty, faith and trust are luxuries most Afghans can not afford.
For those who know nothing about Afghanistan, you will learn a great deal. For those who know a lot about Afghanistan, you will still learn something new.
The book is highly readable with a compelling narrative. It reads like a good novel that has been given a frightening authority in each word because this is not fiction. It is truth.
Summary of The Punishment of Virtue: Inside Afghanistan After the Taliban
As a former star reporter for NPR, Sarah Chayes developed a devoted listenership for her on-site reports on conflicts around the world. In The Punishment of Virtue, she reveals the misguided U.S. policy in Afghanistan in the wake of the defeat of the Taliban, which has severely undermined the effort to build democracy and allowed corrupt tribal warlords back into positions of power and the Taliban to re-infiltrate the country. This is an eyeopening chronicle that highlights the often infuriating realities of a vital front in the war on terror, exposing deeper, fundamental problems with current U.S. strategy.Central America Books
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