---
product_id: 372005630
title: "The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War"
brand: "craig whitlock"
price: "10408 Ft"
currency: HUF
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 10
url: https://www.desertcart.hu/products/372005630-the-afghanistan-papers-a-secret-history-of-the-war
store_origin: HU
region: Hungary
---

# The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War

**Brand:** craig whitlock
**Price:** 10408 Ft
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War by craig whitlock
- **How much does it cost?** 10408 Ft with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.hu](https://www.desertcart.hu/products/372005630-the-afghanistan-papers-a-secret-history-of-the-war)

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## Description

The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Brilliant
  

*by A***R on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 June 2024*

Really well researched evidence based account of the war on terror in Afghanistan from a US perspective. Based largely on information given during “lessons learned” exercises and obtained through freedom of information requests, this outlines what happened on the ground according to the people that were actually there in one capacity or another.Really good overview of the 20 years without spin or favour. Brilliant.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Hubris and greed, the foundation of American humiliation.
  

*by L***Y on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 September 2021*

Based on primary sources this book charts how the US never had any real chance in Afghanistan. It made every possible mistake and thought it could repair things by just pouring more money into the huge money pit of Afghanistan. There is a lot more to be written about the subject and hopefully people will wake up to the disastrous neoconservativism that destroyed several countries, protected others and poured at least $5,800,000,000,000 down the drain.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    A 20-year calamity
  

*by H***Z on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 April 2022*

Had Whitlock waited a month or two, he would have a complete book on the American misadventure in Afghanistan. Perhaps it is best this way because the debacle of the American troop withdrawal in September 2021 is still lucid in our minds, and this book’s analysis makes it so clear that the end was not surprising. The Americans invaded Afghanistan in pursuit of the Al Qaeda, especially its head, Osama bin Laden. Having achieved their objective in May 2011, the Americans, according to Whitlock, ought to have declared victory, and left. Somehow, they remained, and the reasons and objectives became unclear. Somewhere along the line, in spite of official denial in some quarters, America embarked on a mission of nation-building. That became a massive problem because no one in America understood Afghanistan and its people. Afghanistan is a tribal nation and has no inclination to adopt a central government. The Americans assume that everyone in Afghanistan hates the Taliban. They also do not know why they ended up fighting the Taliban when they went in to attack Al Qaeda. Quoting a senior State Official, Whitlock writes: ‘America goes to war without knowing why it does’. Eventually, after 20 years, it became clear that they had to leave. President Obama then made the mistake of announcing an 18-month deadline. With that, the Taliban just laid low and ran down the clock. Their backup plan – raising an Afghan army and police force to take over ran into difficulties because the Afghans were too illiterate, too corrupt, and too factionalised to develop the security force that the Americans envisaged for them. Yet the military leaders kept reporting that things were going well. In a congressional hearing, Senator Warren remarked that Congress had been told that the US military operation had turned the corner so many times, it seemed that it is going round in circles. In actual fact, the military had lots of problems, from bombing and killing civilians and allies by mistake, to being killed by Afghan soldiers and police who were supposed to be their allies. One other major mistake was to embark on an opium war – an attempt to end the heroin trade in Afghanistan. They could not because the Afghan leaders were benefitting from the opium trade, and many had relatives in charge of the heroin production and trade – including President Karzai himself. Finally, America also assumed that money solves everything. They pumped billions of dollars into a country that had no idea what to do with the money. Naturally, the leaders siphoned the money. The details exposed in this book are shocking. It makes one wonder how it is that lessons from Vietnam were so quickly forgotten. And the disastrous withdrawal in September 2021 can be clearly understood against the background that Whitlock provides in this book. A revised edition will be welcome.

## Frequently Bought Together

- The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War
- Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001
- All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror

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*Product available on Desertcart Hungary*
*Store origin: HU*
*Last updated: 2026-01-24*