This book analyzes the origins of the relationships between Islamist groups and Pakistan’s military, and explores Pakistan’s quest for identity and security. Tracing how the military has sought U.S. support by making itself useful for concerns-of-the-moment—while continuing to strengthen the mosque-military alliance within Pakistan—the book offers an alternative view of political developments in Pakistan since independence in 1947.
About the Author
Husain Haqqani is a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment. He is also a leading journalist and former diplomat, who served as a former adviser to three Pakistani prime ministers. He is a syndicated columnist for Indian Express, Gulf News, and The Nation (Pakistan).
"[Haqqani's] analysis will reward anyone who seeks to understand one of the most perplexing foreign policy challenges facing the U.S. today."
—Alyssa Ayres, The Wall Street Journal, July 28, 2005
Click here for the full book review in the Wall Street Journal (registration required)
"An old joke told by Pakistanis holds that three A's count in their country: Allah, army, and America. In his insightful history of his homeland, Husain Haqqani shows it is no joke."
—Kenneth Cooper, The Boston Globe, August 1, 2005
Click here for the full book review in the Boston Globe (registration required)
"In this cogent, well-informed and extraordinarily informative book, Husain Haqqani describes in detail the unholy alliance between Islamists and military officers that has shaped Pakistan’s past and may well determine its future. An important and disturbing tale, deftly told."
—Andrew J. Bacevich, author of The New American Militarism: How Americans Are Seduced by War
"Husain Haqqani has seen Pakistani politics close up. But his book is much more than a memoir: Haqqani has produced a provocative and controversial history revealing the depth of the links between the army and the Islamic radicals. Required reading."
—Owen Bennett-Jones, BBC, Author of Pakistan: The Eye of the Storm
"We are in Hussain Haqqani's debt for providing the authoritative account of the linkages between Pakistan's powerful Islamists and it's professional army. He conclusively demonstrates that these ties are long-standing, complex, and very troubling. This brilliantly researched and written book should be required reading for anyone who wishes to understand this increasingly important state."
—Stephen P. Cohen, Brookings Institution, Author of The Idea of Pakistan and The
—Tariq Fatemi, Dawn, July 2005
—Alex Alexiev, Commentary, December 2005