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Introduction continues...
The information obtained from the two trips was supplemented by other primary and secondary literature available on the subject. Lack of firsthand information from the provinces, along with many others, remained the most crippling constraint for this research.
The first chapter of the book explores the conflict in Afghanistan fromahistoricalperspectiveandalsotouchesupontheethnic,local and geo-political factors to find out why and how the conflicts had led to the collapse of the Afghan state and its indigenous political systems. The focus in the second chapter is to highlight the comprehensiveness of the destruction in Afghanistan through the different phases of conflict and to project the interconnectivity of the different categories of consequences.
It also shows that an action has chain reactions and has spill-overs leading to a vicious circle of uncertainty and chaos. The motivation and involvement of the external actors in Afghan affairs, that generally draw a distracting picture of the situation where regional powers like Iran, Pakistan and some of the Central Asian states and major powers like the USA and erstwhile USSR, who share considerable responsibility for the protracted conflict and breakdown of state institutions forms the subject matter of the third chapter. After studying the speculations associated with the 9/11 attack, the response of the US, Pakistan and the Taleban, the fourth chapter studies the repercussions of the Operation Enduring Freedom which led to the fall of the Taleban and the signing of the Bonn Agreement, a blueprint for political, economic and social reconstruction designed by the international community. It also highlights the major issues facing Afghanistan since 2001.
Chapter 5 looks into the complexities, nuances and inter-relations of the enormous challenges facing Afghanistan since 2001. The attempt is to discuss all these challenges to nation-building under three specific but overlapping categories namely social, economic and political. An analysis of the progress and pitfalls in contemporary Afghanistan is made on the theoretical paradigm of “peace-building.” The discussion in the sixth chapter revolves around certain important aspects of peace-building like security and demilitarisation, political transition, the concept of democracy, public perception of state institutions, economic recovery, social rehabilitation and empowerment.
To be continued...