Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Excellent reading for anyone seeking to understand the role of the army in Pakistan's development.... Provides...an objective insider's view of an institution few in the United States comprehend ... Shuja Nawaz's thorough and informed research in Crossed Swords shines a light on past mistakes made by the Pakistani military and provides insight into its potential future role in supporting a Pakistan that is progressive, prosperous, and engaged with the West."--The Washington Times
"This is by far the fullest and most authoritative analysis yet published of Pakistan and its army and intelligence services."--New York Review of Books
"Timely... this is the best researched and most serious history of the Pakistan army."--London Review of Books
"In Crossed Swords, Pakistani American scholar Shuja Nawaz fleshes out the history of the Pakistani army in a dense but carefully researched book... conclude(s) that the military domination of Pakistani society has stunted the country's political growth, and that the army's obsession with Indian hegemony has perverted relations with neighbors and allies... explores the flaws in U.S. and Pakistani thinking that helped allow the Taliban's comeback."--The Washington Post Book World
"This exceptionally authoritative book, rich in insider history, could not have come at a better time as a key to understanding the underlying power structures of Pakistan as it struggles to find its place in the world."--Barbara Crossette, former South Asia Bureau Chief, The New York Times

Product Description

Based on 30 years of research and analysis, this definitive book is a profound, multi-layered, and historical analysis of the nature and role of the Pakistan army in the country's polity as well as its turbulent relationship with the United States. Shuja Nawaz examines the army and Pakistan in both peace and war. Using many hitherto unpublished materials from the archives of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the General Headquarters of the Pakistan Army, as well as interviews with key military and political figures in Pakistan and the United States, he sheds light not only on the Pakistan Army and its US connections but also on Pakistan as a key Muslim country in one of the world's toughest neighborhoods. In doing so, he lays bare key facts about Pakistan's numerous wars with India and its many rounds of political musical chairs, as well as the Kargil conflict of 1999. He then draws lessons from this history that may help Pakistan end its wars within and create a stabler political entity.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 600 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (July 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195476603
• ISBN-13: 978-0195476606
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #457,660 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading in understanding Pakistan, August 11, 2008

By	Charles P. Oconnor (Washington DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Anyone with a true desire to understand our essential, yet phlegmatic, ally in the Mideast should take the time to read and reflect on this comprehensive history of the complicated relationship between the Pakistan Army and the governments of Pakistan and the US. It is a true insiders view carefully researched and presented. It is not light reading but important in it's insights as we continue to define the US role in this area of the world. I wish it had been available to our leaders in 2002.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crossed Swords, June 29, 2009

By	C. M. Wood (Cumming, GA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is not suitable for light reading due to the amount of detail, but it is an excellent reference. I have found that when the name of a politician or military leader appears in the papers I can look him up in this book and get a rough bio. It is a thorough Who's Who of Pakistan since its inception.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Book About Pakistan, February 12, 2009

By	Ravindra A. Morey (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book presets an excellent review of the role of the Pakistan Army in pakistani society from it's creation sixty years ago to the present.