{"product_id":"sardar-from-afghanistans-golden-age-to-carnage","title":"Sardar: From Afghanistan's Golden Age to Carnage","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 1976 Abdullah Sharif departed Afghanistan first for France and then the United States, leaving behind a viable nation state. Thirty-five years later he returned as a US diplomat. The country he remembered was gone, lost to the ravages of a Russian invasion, the harsh rule of the Taliban, and ongoing clashes between insurgents and US-led forces. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs an Afghan-American, Sharif's thoughts are deeply revealing. \u003ci\u003eSardar \u003c\/i\u003epresents his insights through nineteen missives written over the course of the first of two civilian deployments with the Departments of State and Defense. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWith a bird's eye view of US reconstruction efforts, he deconstructs setbacks and mistakes made during the peace process, and offers suggestions on how to better address such problems. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA compelling read for anyone interested in US involvement in Afghanistan, \u003ci\u003eSardar\u003c\/i\u003e reveals what it takes to carry out daily duties deployed in a foreign country where differing ideologies, language, religion, and social norms provide fertile ground for misunderstandings, conflict, and distrust. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Abdullah Sharif\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Createspace Independent Publishing Platform\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 07\/17\/2014\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 178\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.54lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.02h x 5.98w x 0.38d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781499388305\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/01\/0001\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 10\/01\/2014\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbdullah Sharif spent three decades consulting as an aviation engineer in North America and Europe. Since 2009, he has served as a US diplomat in Afghanistan. His first deployment, from 2009-2011, was for the Department of State, with a second, from 2012-2013, under the auspices of the Department of Defense working on peace and reintegration.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBorn in Afghanistan, Sharif spent a happy childhood in Kabul. He moved to Europe in 1976 and eventually to the United States in 1978, avoiding the communist take-over and the eventual Russian invasion of his homeland, the chaos following the Soviet withdrawal and the Taliban's oppressive regime. Saddened and heartbroken by the changes in his homeland, Sharif is deeply motivated to assist with reconstruction efforts and build peace bridges between Afghanis and Americans.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThis title is not returnable\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Createspace Independent Publishing Platform","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":53325217104170,"sku":"9781499388305","price":18.32,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1022\/4553\/1946\/files\/img_45405d9c-53b6-4480-b80a-b7ad512debec.jpg?v=1793059862","url":"https:\/\/delvanta.shop\/products\/sardar-from-afghanistans-golden-age-to-carnage","provider":"Whitmore Lane","version":"1.0","type":"link"}