This is a highly personal narrative of the West's war in Afghanistan and how it went dangerously wrong. This account of modern warfare delves into back alleys, cockpits, and prisons, telling stories that would have endangered the author's life had he published this book while still working as a journalist. From the corruption of law enforcement agents and the tribal nature of the local power structure to the economics of the drug trade and the frequent blunders of foreign troops, this is the no-holds-barred story from a leading expert on the insurgency. -- Provided by publisher.

Includes index.

Introduction: The Prophet's cloak -- The road to Kandahar : September 2005 -- The surge : April 2006 -- Optimism : June 2006 -- Medusa : August 2006 -- Medusa's aftermath : September 2006 -- Quetta : November 2006 -- Masked men : February 2007 -- Detainees : April 2007 -- Fighting season : May 2007 -- The Karzai regime : September 2007 -- Death of a warlord : October 2007 -- Lessons from the Taliban survey : March 2008 -- Jailbreak : June 2008 -- At the gates of Kabul : September 2008 -- A toxic triangle : February 2009 -- Another surge : June 2011 -- Afterword: January 2013.