The Forty-Year War in Afghanistan

“Ali’s discussion of Afghanistan is highly valuable because of the questions it raises … a starting point for a much-needed debate.”
—New York Times

“The typical Financial Times reader might find his bias so irksome they cannot continue. This would be a pity.”
—Financial Times

“Evergreen … Ali has argued against each occupation from its beginning; the result is an embittered, haunting refrain.”
—Eileen Gonzalez, Foreword Reviews

“A key contribution to make sense of the decades-long events that culminated in the chaotic scenes at Kabul’s airport in August 2021.”
—Marc Martorell Junyent, Inside Arabia

“No one, Left or Right, has followed the misadventure of US policy in Afghanistan with such dogged attention and keen insight.”
—Paul Buhle, Counterpunch

“Erudite and committed … This collection is indispensable for forming an understanding of what has happened and why.”
—Andrew Murray, Morning Star

“Unlike pro-interventionist liberal and even conservative interpretations of Afghanistan’s recent history, Ali’s anti-imperialist understanding provides the glue that binds the bloody tale together.”
—Ron Jacobs, Counterpunch

“Brilliant and incisive … a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the causes and consequences of the decades-long turmoil in Afghanistan.”
—N.P. Ullekh, Open the Magazine

“Witty, insightful, and full of detail … a book replete with encounters and anecdotes, evocative descriptions, and a brutal honesty about the corrupting power of war.”
—Terina Hine, Counterfire