Rashid examines Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia as well as the corridors of power in Washington and Europe to see how the promised nation building has progressed. His conclusions are devastating : an unstable and nuclear-armed Pakistan, a renewed Al Qaeda, and a Taliban resurgence and reconquest. As he predicted, Pakistan and Afghanistan are now where the real war is. His blistering critique of American policy is a dire warning and an impassioned call to correct our failed strategies. There is no more urgent global task. -- From the publisher.

"With a new final chapter" -- front cover. Originally published by Viking Penguin in 2008. Chief of Staff's Professional Reading List rtspecialcollection. From the library of Dr. Donna Jean Winslow, Ph.D., 1958-2010. Gifted to the ALU Library as part of the Donna Jean Winslow Collection. "With a new final chapter"--Cover.

Introduction --9/11 and war -- The man with a mission -- The U.S. will act like a wounded bear -- The chief executive's schizophrenia -- Attack! -- The search for a settlement -- The politics of the post 9/11 world -- A nuclear state of mind -- The one-billion dollar warlords -- Musharraf's lost moment -- The failure of nation building -- Afghanistan -- Afghanistan II -- Double-dealing with Islamic extremism -- Taliban resurgent -- Descent into chaos -- Al Qaeda's bolt-hole -- America shows the way -- Drugs and thugs -- Who lost Uzbekistan? -- The Taliban offensive -- The death of an icon -- Conclusion.