afghanistan

A personal narrative of the war in Afghanistan and how it went dangerously wrong. Graeme Smith was a young reporter who, for several years, was the only Western journalist brave enough to live full-time in the perilous southern region. This account of modern warfare takes the reader into alleys, cockpits, and prisons. Smith was not simply embedded with the military. He operated independently and at great personal risk to report from inside the war. The heroes of his story are the translators, guides, and ordinary citizens who helped him find the truth and they provided the key to understanding why the West failed to deliver peace and democracy.

Ratcliffe once belonged to a group of highly trained soldiers but he left the military to pursue a career in Melbourne, Australia in alternative medicine. Years later, he returned to Afghanistan for a short assignment as a contractor. He planned to return to Australia in a few weeks. Five years later he finally made it home. The reality of the war in Afghanistan was danger in all areas--human trafficking, drug lords, corrupt officials, and dishonesty everywhere he turned. He tried to make a difference but was betrayed and wound up incarcerated in a medieval Afghan prison, awaiting the death penalty.

When actor, writer, producer Trudi-Ann Tierney first went to Kabul, with the promise of work, it was in an illicit bar. Today she is head of drama at Afghanistan's biggest TV broadcaster, Moby Media Group, where she oversees about half a dozen programs, including the country's most popular soap Raaz Hai Een Khana (The Secrets of This House). Occasionally as madcap as Catch-22 and as absurd as One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, this is a part-hilarious, part-nail-biting account of a talented TV executive working in a war zone and an environment that is dangerous to women. The author's sense of humour and her love of the Afghan people shines through.

"[Relates the] story of Mohammed Gulab, the Pashtun warrior who defied the Taliban and saved the life of American hero and Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell."--Provided by publisher.

"In Kabul, 2007, with a drug-addicted father and no brothers, Rahima and her sisters can only sporadically attend school and rarely leave the house. Their only hope lies in the ancient custom of bacha posh, which allows young Rahima to dress and be treated as a boy until she is of marriageable age"--Provided by OCLC.

A collection of twenty-four essays that provides varying perspectives on issues related to Afghanistan, discussing the military situation, the status of human rights, progress toward democracy, and the economy.

Chronicles the lives of three Afghans caught up in the United States' involvement with Afghanistan, including a Taliban commander, a U.S.-backed warlord, and a village housewife, and explores America's role in reviving and empowering the Taliban.

Presents an overview of the Taliban's history, ideology, origins, political power, and capabilities.

Navy SEAL Mike Ritland discusses how he started his own company to train working and protection dogs, and shares the inside story of the elite K9 warriors.