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Pakistan's Drift Into Extremism: Allah, then Army, and America's War Terror First Edition
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- ISBN-109780765614971
- ISBN-13978-0765614971
- EditionFirst Edition
- Publication dateSeptember 30, 2004
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions6.14 x 0.69 x 9.21 inches
- Print length304 pages
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Product details
- ASIN : 0765614979
- Publisher : Routledge; First Edition (September 30, 2004)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 304 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9780765614971
- ISBN-13 : 978-0765614971
- Item Weight : 1.05 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.14 x 0.69 x 9.21 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #3,817,591 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4,150 in Terrorism (Books)
- #6,050 in Human Geography (Books)
- #16,850 in Political Science (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Hassan Abbas is Distinguished Professor of International Relations at the Near East South Asia Strategic Studies Centre (NESA), National Defense University in Washington DC. He serves as a senior advisor at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and also at Asia Society. His current research work focuses on building narratives for countering political and religious extremism & rule of law reforms in developing states.
Earlier he served as professor and department chair at National Defense University’s College of International Security Affairs (2011-2019) and as the Distinguished Quaid i Azam Professor at Columbia University (2009-2011). He held various fellowships including at Harvard Law School’s Islamic Legal Studies Program & Program on Negotiation (2002-04); the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government (2005-09); Asia Society in New York as Bernard Schwartz fellow (2009-2011); and as a Carnegie fellow at the New America Foundation (2016-2018).
He received his Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, and an LL.M. in International Law from Nottingham University, United Kingdom, where he was a Britannia Chevening Scholar (1999). He earned his BA from Government College, Lahore, and master's degree in political science from the Punjab University, Pakistan.
He appeared on various television news shows on CNN, Fox News, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the Newshour with Jim Lehrer, Charlie Rose Show, MSNBC (Abrams Report and Hardball), C-Span (Washington Journal) and various programs on CBS, and NBC as an analyst on security related issues in South Asia and Middle East. He has been interviewed for many news stories and analyses for the New York Times, The Washington Post, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and Guardian, etc.
He has also testified before the Foreign Relations Committee, US House of Representatives on “Women fighting for Peace: Lessons for Today’s Conflicts” in 2016, and before the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom at the U.S. Congress on “Protecting Houses of Worship and Holy Sites” in 2019. He delivered many keynote addresses in conferences and seminars including in Australia, China, India, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, UAE and United Kingdom.
He runs WATANDOST, an Educational Blog About Religion, Politics and Security in South West Asia.
His website is at http://drhassanabbas.com/
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The writer is clearly sympathetic towards minority Muslim groups in Pakistan especially Ahmedis and Shias but provides specific and credible instances of crimes committed against these communities. Also explains how Blasphemy laws are biased against Christian minority. He also severely criticizes Pakistan army for its interference in politics and intelligence agencies for how they groomed and sponsored terrorist groups. In comparison he has been somewhat soft on Pakistani police which he remains associated with as per his bio in the book.
The best part of the book is about General Musharraf and how he is handling Pakistan and the war on terror - he has mixed opinion about Musharraf's capability to make a real difference in the long run. He argues that moderate political parties and revival of real democracy is the only way things can be improved.
Final remark - its an academic book I believe but is written like a thriller - its difficult to put it down once you start reading. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to know how Pakistan is progressing (or digressing) and how intriguing is the history of Pakistan-US relations.
If you've found Mj's Byline (Surprise,Surprise)Interesting read on the facts of three surprises in the war of 1965, here is a book on Kashmir by MJ Akbar that you will find an interesting read on Kashmir History.
But, 'Here is an engaging book on terrorism's largest growing market:Pakistan'This books comes from Hassan Abbas, a Harvard fellow and former officer in President Pervez Musharraf's anti-corruption police force. He is also a PhD. candidate at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. The book is rated at Amazon and stand Top 100 at Barnes and Nobles. Abbas examines the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan and analyzes its connections to Pakistan Army's policies and the fluctuating US-Pakistan relations. It includes profiles of leading Pakistani Jihadi groups and gives details of the conspiracy behind General Zia-ul-Haq's plane crash in 1988, a botched military coup by fundamentalists in army in 1993-94 and lastly about how General Musharraf handled the volatile situation after the 9/11 attacks.
Hassan Abbas exposes failure of 'Operation Gibraltor' and is a pure historical narrative about India and Pakistan. He has analyzed crisis in terms of capabilities of terrorist groups, impact of Musharraf's bold decisions to reform and policy prescriptions about how a constructive change is possible.
For those interested in India-Pak issue and Muslim states and society, the book is an additional read to MJ Akbar's books and bylines and derive to the factual understanding and knowing the History - the crosscurrents of history sweeping through the larger stage!
The book describes very clearly the threats, killings, rapes, abductions and lawless politicians but one finds no mention of the police. Army is shown as the interferer in every aspect of government. The real question is where is the law enforcement agency known as Police.
Hassan Abbas should write his next book on this subject and reader will realize what lead Pakistan to this point. As a Pakistani I can tell you that Pakistani police is one of the most corrupt and dangerous dept in the world. Simply put, if you need to have someone murdered, you contact the police and they'll do it for you, of course for a price. The Pakistani police is not only involved in corruption, but also other crimes such as smuggling of arms and ammunitions, narcotics, torture & rape cells, cover ups, kidnapping , you name the crime and Pakistani police is the leader in it. And most important of all the crimes against women are so common because the criminal can easily pay the police and get away.
I'd love to blame the army but its not army's job to enforce local law and order. Although a lot of blame goes to the army and the mullahs but the Pakistani police had an equal if not bigger hand in the plunder of the country and were the biggest protectors and collaborators of the local mullah's.
I would highly recommend this book.






