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Editorial Reviews
First time in paperback, with a new Introduction and final chapter
World affairs expert and intrepid travel journalist Robert D. Kaplan braved the dangers of war-ravaged Afghanistan in the 1980s, living among the mujahidin—the “soldiers of god”—whose unwavering devotion to Islam fueled their mission to oust the formidable Soviet invaders. In Soldiers of God we follow Kaplan’s extraordinary journey and learn how the thwarted Soviet invasion gave rise to the ruthless Taliban and the defining international conflagration of the twenty-first century.
Kaplan returns a decade later and brings to life a lawless frontier. What he reveals is astonishing: teeming refugee camps on the deeply contentious Pakistan-Afghanistan border; a war front that combines primitive fighters with the most technologically advanced weapons known to man; rigorous Islamic indoctrination academies; a land of minefields plagued by drought, fierce tribalism, insurmountable ethnic and religious divisions, an abysmal literacy rate, and legions of war orphans who seek stability in military brotherhood. Traveling alongside Islamic guerrilla fighters, sharing their food, observing their piety in the face of deprivation, and witnessing their determination, Kaplan offers a unique opportunity to increase our understanding of a people and a country that are at the center of world events.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
World affairs expert and intrepid travel journalist Robert D. Kaplan braved the dangers of war-ravaged Afghanistan in the 1980s, living among the mujahidin—the “soldiers of god”—whose unwavering devotion to Islam fueled their mission to oust the formidable Soviet invaders. In Soldiers of God we follow Kaplan’s extraordinary journey and learn how the thwarted Soviet invasion gave rise to the ruthless Taliban and the defining international conflagration of the twenty-first century.
Kaplan returns a decade later and brings to life a lawless frontier. What he reveals is astonishing: teeming refugee camps on the deeply contentious Pakistan-Afghanistan border; a war front that combines primitive fighters with the most technologically advanced weapons known to man; rigorous Islamic indoctrination academies; a land of minefields plagued by drought, fierce tribalism, insurmountable ethnic and religious divisions, an abysmal literacy rate, and legions of war orphans who seek stability in military brotherhood. Traveling alongside Islamic guerrilla fighters, sharing their food, observing their piety in the face of deprivation, and witnessing their determination, Kaplan offers a unique opportunity to increase our understanding of a people and a country that are at the center of world events.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Related Reviews
A war forgotten and rediscovered
September 11 offered an obvious answer to why Afghanistan mattered, and several books have examined the interaction between the Soviet war in Afghanistan and the rise of militant Islam. Last year, Steve Coll was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his book "Ghost Wars," a twenty-year history of America in Afghanistan. But save the exception of Taliban published by Ahmed Rashid, Afghanistan was consistently conspicuously absent from the Western booklist.
When Robert Kaplan first published this book, in 1990, he meant to shed light into a war whose geopolitical importance was inversely related to its attention in the press. "Soldiers of God" is a typical Kaplan book that interweaves the author's first-hand account of the region with a deep interest in understanding its history and a solemn sense of realism that pervades the narrative.
In telling his story, Mr. Kaplan begins with an introductory chapter on the war's barbarity-particularly the impact that Soviet mines had on the war and the country's landscape. He then looks at Peshawar, the Pakistani city that acted as the war's staging room, at least for the mujahedin side, before examining the tribal dynamics of the war, and specifically the Pathans' men relationship to their women.
It is in chapter 3 that Mr. Kaplan makes his trip into Afghanistan and gives a first-hand account of the Khyber Pass that connects Pakistan to Afghanistan; from then on, the reader gets an intimate and intricate image of the war's first line of attack, just as the portraits of the mujahedin get enriched with more detail and precision.
The greater image that emerges is how America let the Pakistani intelligence services, the ISI, run this war and how this jeopardized the subordination of American interests to Pakistan's own geopolitical priorities. Mr. Kaplan is very somber about this: "In the end, the mujahidin's willingness to suffer to a nearly unimaginable degree eventually overcame, and thus masked, the awful mistakes of American and Pakistani policy makers."
The revised edition includes a new chapter, "The Lawless Frontier" which marks Kaplan's return to the region (in the spring of 2000), and which narrates the way that Pakistan promoted the Taliban as a substitute for Gulbuddin Heykmatyar's inability to consolidate his power in Afghanistan and thus serve Pakistan's interests.
If there is an easy way to explain this complex dynamic between Afghans, Pakistanis and Americans, "Soldiers of God" is it. But in the end, Mr. Kaplan would shy away from any grandiose statements; "For American policy makers, there may be no reliably applicable lessons of the Afghan war except that you win some and you lose some," he writes. A sad conclusion to a war that cost 1.3 million lives.
When Robert Kaplan first published this book, in 1990, he meant to shed light into a war whose geopolitical importance was inversely related to its attention in the press. "Soldiers of God" is a typical Kaplan book that interweaves the author's first-hand account of the region with a deep interest in understanding its history and a solemn sense of realism that pervades the narrative.
In telling his story, Mr. Kaplan begins with an introductory chapter on the war's barbarity-particularly the impact that Soviet mines had on the war and the country's landscape. He then looks at Peshawar, the Pakistani city that acted as the war's staging room, at least for the mujahedin side, before examining the tribal dynamics of the war, and specifically the Pathans' men relationship to their women.
It is in chapter 3 that Mr. Kaplan makes his trip into Afghanistan and gives a first-hand account of the Khyber Pass that connects Pakistan to Afghanistan; from then on, the reader gets an intimate and intricate image of the war's first line of attack, just as the portraits of the mujahedin get enriched with more detail and precision.
The greater image that emerges is how America let the Pakistani intelligence services, the ISI, run this war and how this jeopardized the subordination of American interests to Pakistan's own geopolitical priorities. Mr. Kaplan is very somber about this: "In the end, the mujahidin's willingness to suffer to a nearly unimaginable degree eventually overcame, and thus masked, the awful mistakes of American and Pakistani policy makers."
The revised edition includes a new chapter, "The Lawless Frontier" which marks Kaplan's return to the region (in the spring of 2000), and which narrates the way that Pakistan promoted the Taliban as a substitute for Gulbuddin Heykmatyar's inability to consolidate his power in Afghanistan and thus serve Pakistan's interests.
If there is an easy way to explain this complex dynamic between Afghans, Pakistanis and Americans, "Soldiers of God" is it. But in the end, Mr. Kaplan would shy away from any grandiose statements; "For American policy makers, there may be no reliably applicable lessons of the Afghan war except that you win some and you lose some," he writes. A sad conclusion to a war that cost 1.3 million lives.
This is an extremely well-written book that covers many asepcts of the mujahidin battle against the Soviets (and their Afghan proxies) in Afghanistan throughout the 1980's. Although Kaplan gives a disclaimer in his new forward that, "Soldiers of God is not a primer for current or future policy in Afghanistan," I disagree and think this should be at the top of the list for an easily digestable and insightful view into what it was like to be with the mujahidin then-- a view that is probably still applicable today.
This was the third Kaplan book I have read. It differs from the other two (Eastward to Tartaray and Balkan Ghosts) in that it is a more focused-- both geographically and in its narrative-- and Kaplan reveals a lot more of himself, especially in candidly revealing his weaknesses in trying to keep up with the muj. He also discusses his personal views and biases about faith, and how those views evolved after observing the muj he was with exercise their beliefs and faith in a simple, noble fashion.
Kaplan was lucky enough to have fallen in with a group of "good" muj-- they took care of him and earned his admiration-- he admits this bias. Even back then, however, the more fundamentalist groups were extremely hostile and the sinister designs that would culminate in the catasrophic events of 9/11 were developing.
Kaplan's insights from that era are just as relevant today. Many of the same characters are still running around, and the struggle is in many ways similar-- an element of the population revolting not just against the foreign influence, but also against the Afghan government and its forces.
Overall, this is an excellent book to read if you want to understand the motivations and intricacies of this conflict, which still rages today. Kaplan is honest and articulate in his assessments not only of events on the ground, but also the international community's treatment of the problem, and his own personal views and how they were formed.
This is an informative, engaging, and most importantly essential read if you want or need to know about Afghanistan.
This was the third Kaplan book I have read. It differs from the other two (Eastward to Tartaray and Balkan Ghosts) in that it is a more focused-- both geographically and in its narrative-- and Kaplan reveals a lot more of himself, especially in candidly revealing his weaknesses in trying to keep up with the muj. He also discusses his personal views and biases about faith, and how those views evolved after observing the muj he was with exercise their beliefs and faith in a simple, noble fashion.
Kaplan was lucky enough to have fallen in with a group of "good" muj-- they took care of him and earned his admiration-- he admits this bias. Even back then, however, the more fundamentalist groups were extremely hostile and the sinister designs that would culminate in the catasrophic events of 9/11 were developing.
Kaplan's insights from that era are just as relevant today. Many of the same characters are still running around, and the struggle is in many ways similar-- an element of the population revolting not just against the foreign influence, but also against the Afghan government and its forces.
Overall, this is an excellent book to read if you want to understand the motivations and intricacies of this conflict, which still rages today. Kaplan is honest and articulate in his assessments not only of events on the ground, but also the international community's treatment of the problem, and his own personal views and how they were formed.
This is an informative, engaging, and most importantly essential read if you want or need to know about Afghanistan.
Superb Account of a Forgotten War
The title of Robert Kaplan's Soldiers of God made me pick this book up and buy it and I was not sure exactly what to expect from it. What I did not expect was a magnificent account of the mujahedeens' long battle against the Soviets, a clearer picture of the geography of Afghanistan, its relationship with Pakistan and the dark years of Soviet invasion.
Kaplan's description and stories about the Mujaheedeen commanders as well as warlords and pro-Soviet leaders of Afghanistan brings the reader into a tumultuous period of the country's past. His proximity and access to some of them makes me feel like I know something about them that readers of newspapers or articles on Afghanistan don't.
His trips into Afghanistan and how he crossed the tough terrain made me marvel. Anecdotes of fellow travellers, photographers, translators, and hosts of the camps where they stopped at pulled me further into this riveting book. Superb work by Kaplan, he shares with us the face of a war that many did not bother to cover.
Kaplan's description and stories about the Mujaheedeen commanders as well as warlords and pro-Soviet leaders of Afghanistan brings the reader into a tumultuous period of the country's past. His proximity and access to some of them makes me feel like I know something about them that readers of newspapers or articles on Afghanistan don't.
His trips into Afghanistan and how he crossed the tough terrain made me marvel. Anecdotes of fellow travellers, photographers, translators, and hosts of the camps where they stopped at pulled me further into this riveting book. Superb work by Kaplan, he shares with us the face of a war that many did not bother to cover.
The book to read to understand Afghanistan
You can watch 300 hours of CNN and not learn as much about what is occuring in Afghanistan as you would in 1 hour of reading this book. Even though it was written in the late 1980s it still rings true. Kaplan has an eye for detail and telling a story that makes the conflict real. The challenges that Kaplan pointed out in 1988 are the same ones our leaders are facing today. Well worth your time.
I hope my Senator has read this book
Kaplan's book should be mandatory reading for every single elected official in the Executive and Legislative branch as well as all of our military leaders. Kaplan's understanding of the forces at play in Afghanistan and Pakistan (which are inextricably linked) is second-to-none. As an Infantry Officer with 6+ months experience in Afghanistan, I can say that reading Kaplan's book gave me great insight into the enemy we are fighting and the relationship that exists between them and their Pakistani neighbors who routinely provide them safe haven outside the reach of the Coalition Forces.
Chock-full of insight that few Westerners have ever been exposed to, Kaplan delivers a phenomenal account of the Mujahideen from the inside-out. I highly recommend this book.
Chock-full of insight that few Westerners have ever been exposed to, Kaplan delivers a phenomenal account of the Mujahideen from the inside-out. I highly recommend this book.
I've been reading Kaplan for a few years starting w/ Balkan Ghosts. While his view of the world is pessimistic, it's supported by facts and based on his travels. His analysis is always extremely intelligent and objective and I always learn new things from his books. His bravery to go into Afghanistan is commendable. Just as in the Taliban by Ahmed Rashid, Kaplan identifies the non obvious patterns underlying the conflict, America and Pakistan's hand in it and how things went wrong. It is obvious that Mujahedin commanders such as Abdul Haq deserved respect and support that they never got from Pakistan and the US (Abdul eventually got murdered by the Taliban via CIA bungling subsequent to the book's publication) and could have been great leaders for Afghanistans future because of their moderate views towards the world while still holding their religious values close to themselves. Unfortunately, it's not people like that but the Taliban that came into power because of US and Pakistani bungling and sometimes a deliberate policy to continue unrest. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan has eerie similarity to how America is going into Iraq, albeit the fact that the Bush administration calls it a war on terror.
Kaplan, D. Robert, Solders of God (Vintage Books, New York, NY, November 2001). xxi+254. 1 map. Index. ISBN 1-4000-3025-0.
In his own personal account, Robert D. Kaplan, international affairs expert and war-time journalist, chronicles his journey with the mujahidin holy warriors - through the forbidden and vicious landscape of Afghanistan. In Solders of God Kaplan attempts to unravel the sheer chaos of Afghanistan through an inter-personal level of analysis, first by gaining access to some of the most important tribal/resistance leaders, and then accompanying them on their Jihad or holy war against the Soviet Union. Kaplan purposely uses his experience with the mujahidin to help explain the chain of events over the past 30 years which left the door open for the fanaticism of the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden.
In the 80s war-time reporting was largely focused around the civil war in Lebanon or apartheid in South Africa. Rarely was their a first-hand report from the front lines of Afghanistan, which is what makes Kaplans accounts of what some journalists call, the forgotten war, an invaluable tool in understanding present day international affairs.
During his time with the mujahidin, Kaplan details the lives of these mainly young, devote, and incredibly resistant solders who portray almost superhuman like qualities. As the Sherpas of Nepal have essentially evolved to conquer the highest of altitudes, the mujahidin of Afghanistan have evolved to become some of the worlds best guerrilla fighters. Insidious and intolerant as the mujahidin might seem, Kaplan exposes a fissure between the modern day authoritarian Islam of the Arabic world and the more introverted democratic, and egalitarian Islam of the Afghani tribes, specifically the Pathans in the north. Kaplan finds that while they were fanatical, many Afghani Moslems were incredibly tolerant of non-believers and women journalist (who many times felt safest with the mujahidin).
Some of the most shocking pieces of Kaplans account shows the ferociousness, relentlessness, and brutality of the Soviet invasion. Kaplan describes how the miscalculated and misguided Soviet war of attrition has left the footprint of war on Afghanistan to this very day. Riddled with Soviet landmines, Afghanistan has become a country of amputees, disabling a majority of an already diseased population.
Kaplans relationship with renowned leaders such as Abdul Haq (Pathan leader; known as the Lion of Afghanistan), Ahmad Shah Massoud (Tajik leader; known as the Panshir Lion), and Hamid Karzi (current Afghan interim leader), allows the reader to better understand the incoherence and complexity of the ethnic and tribal codes that rule Afghani politics.
Because of his intimacy with the Mujahidin, one might criticize Kaplan for romanticizing the bravado and machismo of these Afghan guerrillas. However, rather than romanticize, Kaplan delivers a telling and respectful account of a people and a country orphaned by war.
In Kaplans final analysis he shifts focus to neighboring Pakistan where the majority of Afghani refugees reside. Combined with past support (financial and political) for the Taliban and a fevering wave of fundamental Islam, seen coming directly from the Saudi sponsored Madrassas (religious schools); an explosive cocktail of factionalism is predicted on the horizon. In a chilling conclusion Kaplan warns of potential Balkanization in Pakistan. However unlike Yugoslavia, Pakistan has a Nuclear Arsenal.
In his own personal account, Robert D. Kaplan, international affairs expert and war-time journalist, chronicles his journey with the mujahidin holy warriors - through the forbidden and vicious landscape of Afghanistan. In Solders of God Kaplan attempts to unravel the sheer chaos of Afghanistan through an inter-personal level of analysis, first by gaining access to some of the most important tribal/resistance leaders, and then accompanying them on their Jihad or holy war against the Soviet Union. Kaplan purposely uses his experience with the mujahidin to help explain the chain of events over the past 30 years which left the door open for the fanaticism of the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden.
In the 80s war-time reporting was largely focused around the civil war in Lebanon or apartheid in South Africa. Rarely was their a first-hand report from the front lines of Afghanistan, which is what makes Kaplans accounts of what some journalists call, the forgotten war, an invaluable tool in understanding present day international affairs.
During his time with the mujahidin, Kaplan details the lives of these mainly young, devote, and incredibly resistant solders who portray almost superhuman like qualities. As the Sherpas of Nepal have essentially evolved to conquer the highest of altitudes, the mujahidin of Afghanistan have evolved to become some of the worlds best guerrilla fighters. Insidious and intolerant as the mujahidin might seem, Kaplan exposes a fissure between the modern day authoritarian Islam of the Arabic world and the more introverted democratic, and egalitarian Islam of the Afghani tribes, specifically the Pathans in the north. Kaplan finds that while they were fanatical, many Afghani Moslems were incredibly tolerant of non-believers and women journalist (who many times felt safest with the mujahidin).
Some of the most shocking pieces of Kaplans account shows the ferociousness, relentlessness, and brutality of the Soviet invasion. Kaplan describes how the miscalculated and misguided Soviet war of attrition has left the footprint of war on Afghanistan to this very day. Riddled with Soviet landmines, Afghanistan has become a country of amputees, disabling a majority of an already diseased population.
Kaplans relationship with renowned leaders such as Abdul Haq (Pathan leader; known as the Lion of Afghanistan), Ahmad Shah Massoud (Tajik leader; known as the Panshir Lion), and Hamid Karzi (current Afghan interim leader), allows the reader to better understand the incoherence and complexity of the ethnic and tribal codes that rule Afghani politics.
Because of his intimacy with the Mujahidin, one might criticize Kaplan for romanticizing the bravado and machismo of these Afghan guerrillas. However, rather than romanticize, Kaplan delivers a telling and respectful account of a people and a country orphaned by war.
In Kaplans final analysis he shifts focus to neighboring Pakistan where the majority of Afghani refugees reside. Combined with past support (financial and political) for the Taliban and a fevering wave of fundamental Islam, seen coming directly from the Saudi sponsored Madrassas (religious schools); an explosive cocktail of factionalism is predicted on the horizon. In a chilling conclusion Kaplan warns of potential Balkanization in Pakistan. However unlike Yugoslavia, Pakistan has a Nuclear Arsenal.
Scott Shadian
Assumes new importance in the face of recent events
World affairs expert Robert Kaplan traveled to Afghanistan in the 1980s and lived among the ardent Islamic 'soldiers of god': Kaplan's Soldiers Of God assumes new importance in the face of recent events and includes a return a decade later to much-changed conditions. Any who would seek to understand Islamic warriors in the region should place this near the top of their reading lists. A new introduction and final chapters appears in this timely reprint.
Interesting, if biased, account of what was up pre 9/11
As an American living in several parts of the world in which Islam has a strong influence, I have always had a bit of a problem with the mainstream categorization of Islam as a fanatical approach to solving normal human problems.
Kaplan, once again, gets beneath the surface of things to discover that all is not what it seems. As he himself freely admits in the new introduction to this edition, he was somewhat biased by his visceral experiences on the front lines in 1980s Afghanistan, in which he shared life and death with the mujahidin. His square placement of blame on the US for its blind reliance on Pakistan to provide intelligence and diplomacy on the war in Afghanistan is probably a bit short-sighted.
Nevertheless, if anyone has any curiosity about how Bin Laden and his ilk came to find Afghanistan a safe-have, they should read this book. The updated intro and new last chapter are good additions in light of the prescience which lies beneath the surface of the original prose.
Great book about the Russian-Afghan War and preread to Taliban by Ahmed Rashid. Very good read for anyone wanting to know about Central Asian/Afghan history and Afghan/Pakistani relations of recent years.
Before Kaplan got really famous, he wrote this little volume of travelogue/reportage on Afghanistan. At the time, Afghanistan was a rite that the hardest of the hardcore journalists had to go through, and of those who survived to write a book about the experience, Kaplan's is one of the best. His experience scrambling around the Afghan mountains with the mujahideen is not one that many people have had, and his descriptions convey well the roughness of the terrain and people of that country. In addition, he analyzes politics astutely -- the details are sometimes moot now that everything has changed in the region, but for giving a sense of the country and its conflicted this book is superb.
Not the best book on Afghanistan or War-reporting, but not a total waste of time either
I developed quite a dislike for Kaplan as I read this book, but the subject matter was sufficiently fascinating to help me forgive his not-entirely-subtle dislike of Asians. This book provides an on the ground view of the Soviet Invasion and subsequent chaos. The glimpses of Afghani society, although mostly confined to men involved in war, and the physical descriptions of Afghanistan's landscape were captivating. Kaplan seems quite enamored of the Pashtun culture, especially in comparison to Pakistan, which is portrayed unflatteringly but not entirely unfairly as a potential terrorist breeding ground. He seems to see himself as a brave, hugely suffering war reporter, although the most extreme suffering he appears to undergo is occasional separation from soft drinks. Obviously my disinclination for the author colored my view of the book, but I feel it was worthwhile reading as it increased my knowledge of the Soviet-Afghan war and my conviction that terrorism has its roots in poverty and desperation rather than pure ideology
From the opening pages to the closing chapter of Soldiers of God, Robert D. Kaplan paints an intricate and vivid image of his experiences in Afghanistan throughout the 1980's. Soldiers of God intimately describes the details of the author's tumultuous stay in Afghanistan and his close personal relationship with many of the important figures in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation from 1979-1989.
The accumulation of Soldiers of God lies in Kaplan's numerous associations with various Islamic warriors, important figures in Afghanistan and journalists he encounters along the way. Various individuals he meets catalyze the linear narrative of the book and serves as a means of advancing the book through his memoirs. "[He] had met Palestinian leaders in Syria and Jordan, Polisario leaders in Algeria, Kurdish guerrillas in Iraq and Iran, and Eritrean and Tigrean guerrillas in northern Ethiopia," demonstrates the extent to which Kaplan met and befriended an insurmountable array of people and learned about Afghanistan (pg. 47). Through Kaplan's associations the reader gains an in-depth look at Afghanistan through the people Kaplan consorts with.
By relating his stories through information about the Punjabi, Abdul Haq, Ahmed Shah Massoud, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Savik Shuster, Haja Baba and Gucci Muj the audience gains a complete understanding of the existing turmoil in Afghanistan and further insight into various aspects like religion and women. Through Abdul Haq, for example, the reader learns of the intestinal fortitude existing in Islamic warriors in Afghanistan and Pakistan through Haq's courageous dealing of his amputated foot. Also, the reader learns of the increasing impertinence of Abdul Haq towards the United States.
For example, "Haq was convinced the US was trying to kill him," because they forced him to wait in the London airport for hours in excruciating pain due to Washington regulations, which stipulated that he must board only an American carrier (pg. 71). In addition, through Abdul Haq we learn that "Woman are as private to a Pathan as his private parts," depicting the extent to which women are secluded from society (pg. 50). An example concerning the importance of religion relates to Savik Shuster, a Lithuanian Jew and a former Soviet citizen. Shuster aggravates Haq when he claims to be agnostic causing Haq to exclaims, "Now you sound like a Soviet" (pg. 65). The above elements of US carelessness, women and religion signify the importance of Soldiers of God in relation to the growing interest in Afghanistan today. Kaplan's book conveys the significant details of the many facets and faces of Afghanistan life, which remain of vast interests since the events following September 11, 2001.
Robert D. Kaplan explanation for the purpose of Soldiers of God arises from his meticulous and realistic portrayal of the events he witnesses starting his prologue and finalizing through his later chapters, placing his reader in close proximity to understanding the book. Kaplan immediately captures his/her reader in the prologue entitled, "Walking Through a Minefield" and further enhances intrigue in the chapter entitled, "Going Up Khyber." By using pop culture and mostly Western references to Star Wars, Michael Jackson and Coca-Cola Kaplan allows his readers a more closer association with the book rather than isolating his audience to mainly factual and bland information. By relating his experiences through interwoven associations with various individuals Kaplan captures the essence of an Afghanistan, deeming Soldiers of God an essential book in understanding the richly historic country.
Zhaklin Ovsepyan
The accumulation of Soldiers of God lies in Kaplan's numerous associations with various Islamic warriors, important figures in Afghanistan and journalists he encounters along the way. Various individuals he meets catalyze the linear narrative of the book and serves as a means of advancing the book through his memoirs. "[He] had met Palestinian leaders in Syria and Jordan, Polisario leaders in Algeria, Kurdish guerrillas in Iraq and Iran, and Eritrean and Tigrean guerrillas in northern Ethiopia," demonstrates the extent to which Kaplan met and befriended an insurmountable array of people and learned about Afghanistan (pg. 47). Through Kaplan's associations the reader gains an in-depth look at Afghanistan through the people Kaplan consorts with.
By relating his stories through information about the Punjabi, Abdul Haq, Ahmed Shah Massoud, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Savik Shuster, Haja Baba and Gucci Muj the audience gains a complete understanding of the existing turmoil in Afghanistan and further insight into various aspects like religion and women. Through Abdul Haq, for example, the reader learns of the intestinal fortitude existing in Islamic warriors in Afghanistan and Pakistan through Haq's courageous dealing of his amputated foot. Also, the reader learns of the increasing impertinence of Abdul Haq towards the United States.
For example, "Haq was convinced the US was trying to kill him," because they forced him to wait in the London airport for hours in excruciating pain due to Washington regulations, which stipulated that he must board only an American carrier (pg. 71). In addition, through Abdul Haq we learn that "Woman are as private to a Pathan as his private parts," depicting the extent to which women are secluded from society (pg. 50). An example concerning the importance of religion relates to Savik Shuster, a Lithuanian Jew and a former Soviet citizen. Shuster aggravates Haq when he claims to be agnostic causing Haq to exclaims, "Now you sound like a Soviet" (pg. 65). The above elements of US carelessness, women and religion signify the importance of Soldiers of God in relation to the growing interest in Afghanistan today. Kaplan's book conveys the significant details of the many facets and faces of Afghanistan life, which remain of vast interests since the events following September 11, 2001.
Robert D. Kaplan explanation for the purpose of Soldiers of God arises from his meticulous and realistic portrayal of the events he witnesses starting his prologue and finalizing through his later chapters, placing his reader in close proximity to understanding the book. Kaplan immediately captures his/her reader in the prologue entitled, "Walking Through a Minefield" and further enhances intrigue in the chapter entitled, "Going Up Khyber." By using pop culture and mostly Western references to Star Wars, Michael Jackson and Coca-Cola Kaplan allows his readers a more closer association with the book rather than isolating his audience to mainly factual and bland information. By relating his experiences through interwoven associations with various individuals Kaplan captures the essence of an Afghanistan, deeming Soldiers of God an essential book in understanding the richly historic country.
Zhaklin Ovsepyan
Really another outstanding book by Kaplan. In depth and personal view of the mujahidin in Afghanistan in the 80's. Kaplan may be a little biased, or wonder struck by the personalities he interviewed and lived with, and at times is self-congratulatory about his prescience, however, he acknowledges both facts in his re-written foreword. Neither of these points dilute the quality of this book, though. For me, it was a great read that illuminated class and clan struggle in Afghanistan, and a wonderful distinction between religious fundamentalism and politically institutionalized religious extremism.
A first rate book on Afghanistan
Kaplan is an American journalist who made several trips into Afghanistan during the time that the Soviet Union had occupied Afghanistan and was intent on turning Afghanistan into a communist country.
In his trips, Kaplan experienced and describes the life common to all mountain peoples, the cruelty and gruesomeness of war especially in its counter-insurgency edition, and the traditions of the different Afghan tribes. He describes the leaders of the resistance, except for the Islamist factions, who are all but ignored, and the various rather eccentric Europeans and Americans who joined their cause.
This book is moving - what else would one expect of a people that was willing to sustain a million fatalities in order to maintain their customs and not be occupied by a foreign power?
To use a colossal understatement, Afghanistan is a very colorful place, nothing at all like American suburbia. Anyone who wants to understand Afghanistan must recognize this fact. The best parts of the book, which alone are worth the price of the book, are the many thumbnail descriptions of the eccentric people and surreal situations that Kaplan found in Afghanistan.
In his trips, Kaplan experienced and describes the life common to all mountain peoples, the cruelty and gruesomeness of war especially in its counter-insurgency edition, and the traditions of the different Afghan tribes. He describes the leaders of the resistance, except for the Islamist factions, who are all but ignored, and the various rather eccentric Europeans and Americans who joined their cause.
This book is moving - what else would one expect of a people that was willing to sustain a million fatalities in order to maintain their customs and not be occupied by a foreign power?
To use a colossal understatement, Afghanistan is a very colorful place, nothing at all like American suburbia. Anyone who wants to understand Afghanistan must recognize this fact. The best parts of the book, which alone are worth the price of the book, are the many thumbnail descriptions of the eccentric people and surreal situations that Kaplan found in Afghanistan.
Our friends are queued up to borrow this book because of its timely, unbiased background for today's headlines. Kaplan is thorough and credible and the bibliography he has compiled is literary and informative.
Kaplan has a way of just bringing you into his world. You feel like you are there and he provides so much historical detail, that each of his books allows you to learn and be entertained so much. This book delivers.
This book is extraordinary because, when read in 2010, it presages a decade of war, explaining precisely why defeating the Taliban has not been possible. Kaplan is a brave and highly insightful journalist; he should be serving our nation as an assistant secretary of state or defense. His ability to describe the interrelationships among human nature, culture and the politics that result in armed conflict is unique. Ten years after its second release, Solders of God is still fresh and applicable. It is must-reading for anyone seeking to understand why the war in Afghanistan is so maddening in its duration and complexities. Bing West, Newport, RI
Afghanistan: The Superpower Trap created with perfect 20-20 Hindsight
This was one of the first of intrepid reporter, Robert Kaplan's, many timely and insightful Atlantic Monthly articles turned into a book. Kaplan has "made his bones" (and a stellar reputation) going where the action is. And then, even while measuring the temperature on the ground, never failing to raise his head above the trees to see where the forest leads. This ability to place the events on the ground into geostrategic context has made Kaplan a valuable resource to those of us who like to know how we get our superpower tail caught in so many costly and draining strategic traps.
Here, although we are forced to admit that some aspects of geopolitics are inevitable and almost always unforgiving and irreversible, this story is still about as unflattering as a strategic incursion can get: Severely burnt by the dumb anti-Communist domino geopolitics of Vietnam, the U.S., nevertheless could not wait to repeat the act in the most unforgiving and godforsaken land since Alexander the Great was defeated there in the 4th Century BC.
Thus there is a kind of poetic symmetry that after Vietnam, our next foreign policy folly would be Afghanistan. That it is an unforgiving trap that all the history we know of (and have actually experienced ourselves) tells us it is, with perfect 20-20 hindsight, we nevertheless willingly walked into the same trap. [The Russians must be laughing under their collectivist breaths.]
Because of our colossal ignorance of the lands and peoples we pretend to be assisting while actually in pursuit of our own geopolitical goals, we had no choice but to enlist and rely on the Pakistan intelligence service (CIS) as a proxy in our global plan to eject the Soviets from Afghanistan. This barely transparent plan apparently worked to perfection, except that none of the "after conflict loose ends" were tied up. It seems that it is a hallmark of U.S. foreign policy that loose ends are never tied up. The conflicts are just allowed to peter out, with the hope that the details will somehow work them selves out in the end. [Remember the last scene in "Charlie Wilson's War?]
As usual, the Pakistani CIS exacted a price for serving as our geopolitical proxy. The price was that they be allowed to hijack our strategic success for their own internal purposes. As a result, in the aftermath of the victory over Russia, the CIS had us back the wrong Afghan tribal horse. When the dust settled, the internecine virus called Afghanistan warlords, had metastasized into Osama bin Laden, who immediately turned on his erstwhile superpower arms supplier and backer.
Nine-eleven sealed the deal and enshrined this folly for perpetuity. Now, we cannot get out, no matter how much its costs in U.S. blood and treasure. There is nothing left to do but to allow it to run its costly and indeterminate course. The loose ends can never be tied up. Obama is not in the driver's seat; the tribal warlords are: as they have always been. We are just a hapless superpower again being dragged around by our tail by a ragtag bunch of "Soldiers of God." God help us. Five Stars
Here, although we are forced to admit that some aspects of geopolitics are inevitable and almost always unforgiving and irreversible, this story is still about as unflattering as a strategic incursion can get: Severely burnt by the dumb anti-Communist domino geopolitics of Vietnam, the U.S., nevertheless could not wait to repeat the act in the most unforgiving and godforsaken land since Alexander the Great was defeated there in the 4th Century BC.
Thus there is a kind of poetic symmetry that after Vietnam, our next foreign policy folly would be Afghanistan. That it is an unforgiving trap that all the history we know of (and have actually experienced ourselves) tells us it is, with perfect 20-20 hindsight, we nevertheless willingly walked into the same trap. [The Russians must be laughing under their collectivist breaths.]
Because of our colossal ignorance of the lands and peoples we pretend to be assisting while actually in pursuit of our own geopolitical goals, we had no choice but to enlist and rely on the Pakistan intelligence service (CIS) as a proxy in our global plan to eject the Soviets from Afghanistan. This barely transparent plan apparently worked to perfection, except that none of the "after conflict loose ends" were tied up. It seems that it is a hallmark of U.S. foreign policy that loose ends are never tied up. The conflicts are just allowed to peter out, with the hope that the details will somehow work them selves out in the end. [Remember the last scene in "Charlie Wilson's War?]
As usual, the Pakistani CIS exacted a price for serving as our geopolitical proxy. The price was that they be allowed to hijack our strategic success for their own internal purposes. As a result, in the aftermath of the victory over Russia, the CIS had us back the wrong Afghan tribal horse. When the dust settled, the internecine virus called Afghanistan warlords, had metastasized into Osama bin Laden, who immediately turned on his erstwhile superpower arms supplier and backer.
Nine-eleven sealed the deal and enshrined this folly for perpetuity. Now, we cannot get out, no matter how much its costs in U.S. blood and treasure. There is nothing left to do but to allow it to run its costly and indeterminate course. The loose ends can never be tied up. Obama is not in the driver's seat; the tribal warlords are: as they have always been. We are just a hapless superpower again being dragged around by our tail by a ragtag bunch of "Soldiers of God." God help us. Five Stars
The Many Worlds of Afghanistan
I read Soldiers of God at the same time that I read The Bookseller of Kabul (for book club) and found Soldiers to be an enlightening companion read because while Bookseller focused on one family in Kabul, its interpersonal dynamics, and how religion and culture affected its members, Soldiers gave a broader view of various groups and their political and personal dynamics in Afghanistan. Also, both books were written by Western journalists, which gave the books a somewhat similar (though by no means identical) perspective on Afghanistan, although differing in scope.
Specific to Soldiers, I enjoyed Robert Kaplan's story telling (part travelogue, part reportage), his ability to gain access to some very insular groups, and his obvious desire to present them and their goals as accurately as possible. It was compelling reading for me as I knew little about the country, its myriad elements and history.
Specific to Soldiers, I enjoyed Robert Kaplan's story telling (part travelogue, part reportage), his ability to gain access to some very insular groups, and his obvious desire to present them and their goals as accurately as possible. It was compelling reading for me as I knew little about the country, its myriad elements and history.
Uncommon Sense Look At Afghan Society and Politics
This book is a superb analysis of Afghan politics during the Soviet war years. With an update for the current (post 9/11) situation, this is must read for all CIA-types as well as other serious students of South Asia politics. Mr. Kaplan has a dire warning for the west in his analysis of the future of Pakistan ala Yugoslavia. Read and understand - reality is not pleasent!
I will buy other titles by Mr. Kaplan.
The author missed the most important point
Even though Mr. Kaplan goes deeper into the recent Afghan history, he missed the most important point. He does not understand the profound meaning of the life of Ahmad Shah Massoud and the impact of this great leader, with great spirituality and a great vision, in the 23 years of Afghan Resistance. But who does? Very few as always when an important event happens in the world. Good book. Not a great book.
Way to boring. No real descriptions of any combat action. Just like boring historical statistical stuff. Lots of Afghan tribal stories, why they can't get along we may never know. If you want some edge of your seat and can't put it down action, skip this one.
As a college student, I am required certain books for my history class. The firsthand account books I have read this semester have been very enjoyable (Kaffir Boy & Son of the Revolution). However, even though Soldiers of God is a firsthand account of Robert Kaplan traveling in Afghanistan & Pakistan during the Soviet invasion & occupation, it was one of the most boring books I have ever read. I could barely read 3 pages without beginning to doze off. The action is limited and sporadic and the commentary is less than stellar. If you are looking for another Kaffir Boy this book is not the one to pick.
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Soldiers of God is the story of a third-world nation that was brutalized by the Soviets, then manipulated and mismanaged by the Pakistani agents who were acting as U.S. surrogates. Kaplan explains how the United States entrusted the Zia and Bhutto regimes of Pakistan with most of the day-to-day details of the war. The result was the gradual encouragement of the militant Islamist elements that would eventually coalesce into the Taliban.
Tragically, Afghanistan was a comparatively minor sideshow in the Cold War. The country was difficult for journalists to enter, so the conflict was largely neglected by the American press; and Eastern Europe and Nicaragua were much higher on the list of U.S. priorities. Kaplan provides detailed accounts of Soviet atrocities which received little mainstream press attention at the time.
However, the most captivating aspect of the book is richness of the narrative itself. Part diary, part political commentary, Soldiers of God gives the reader a visceral sense of what it was like to live as a mujahadeen during the Soviet-Afghan conflict. Kaplan describes the miserable climate, maggot-infested food provisions, and the constant fear of Soviet mines with exacting detail.
Kaplan also gives us insights into the characters of the mujahadeen themselves. As a reader, I felt a mixture of contempt and admiration for the men who lives unfolded in this book. On one hand, the mujahadeen emerge as heroic underdogs fighting to free their country from a vastly superior Soviet military. On the other hand, Kaplan acknowledges many of the Afghan societal flaws which would later be amplified by the Taliban. We read about a country in which women have little or no rights, and religious laws have no secular counterbalance.
I have found few books on the Soviet-Afghan conflict; and I would guess that this one is among the best of the bunch.