Hostile Climate

Anand Gopal's book No Good Men Among the Living was reviewed in the New York Times.

For the first time since 2001, more Americans believe it was a mistake to send troops to Afghanistan than see it as the right call, at least according to a recent Gallup poll. Almost 13 years after the attacks of Sept. 11, we’re conflicted about what we are still doing in Afghanistan and confused about what happened there. Americans are tired of America’s long war, especially as it drones on.

The journalist Anand Gopal tries to make sense of the morass in his first book, No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban, and the War Through Afghan Eyes. It’s an apt time for reflection on America’s lingering Asian folly — Afghanistan’s presidential election was held earlier this month, and the United States plans to withdraw most of its troops by the end of this year. Afghanistan will either muddle along or again fall into chaos.