How Long to Read Hubris, Self-Interest, and America's Failed War in Afghanistan

How Long Does it Take to Read Hubris, Self-Interest, and America's Failed War in Afghanistan?

It takes the average reader 7 hours to read Hubris, Self-Interest, and America's Failed War in Afghanistan by Thomas P. Cavanna

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

This book describes the conduct of the US-led post-9/11 war in Afghanistan. Adopting a long-term perspective, it argues that even though Washington initially had an opportunity to achieve its security goals and give Afghanistan a chance to enter a new era, it compromised any possibility of success from the very moment it let bin Laden escape to Pakistan in December 2001, and found itself locked in a strategic overreach. Given the bureaucratic and rhetorical momentum triggered by the war on terror in America, the Bush Administration was bound to deploy more resources in Afghanistan sooner or later (despite its focus on Iraq). The need to satisfy unfulfilled counter-terrorism objectives made the US dependent on Afghanistan’s warlords, which compromised the country’s stability and tarnished its new political system. The extension of the US military presence made Washington lose its leverage on the Pakistan army leaders, who, aware of America’s logistical dependency on Islamabad, supported the Afghan insurgents – their historical proxies - more and more openly. The extension of the war also contributed to radicalize segments of the Afghan and Pakistani populations, destabilizing the area further. In the meantime, the need to justify the extension of its military presence influenced the US-led coalition into proclaiming its determination to democratize and reconstruct Afghanistan. While highly opportunistic, the emergence of these policies proved both self-defeating and unsustainable due to an inescapable collision between the US-led coalition’s inherent self-interest, hubris, limited knowledge, limited attention span and limited resources, and, on the other hand, Afghanistan’s inherent complexity. As the critical contradictions at the very heart of the campaign increased with the extension of the latter’s duration, scale, and cost, America’s leaders, entrapped in path-dependence, lost their strategic flexibility. Despite debates on troops/resource allocation and more sophisticated doctrines, they repeated the same structural mistakes over and over again. The strategic overreach became self-sustaining, until its costs became intolerable, leading to a drawdown which has more to do with a pervasive sense of failure than with the accomplishment of any noble purpose or strategic breakthrough.

How long is Hubris, Self-Interest, and America's Failed War in Afghanistan?

Hubris, Self-Interest, and America's Failed War in Afghanistan by Thomas P. Cavanna is 414 pages long, and a total of 105,156 words.

This makes it 140% the length of the average book. It also has 129% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read Hubris, Self-Interest, and America's Failed War in Afghanistan Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 9 hours and 34 minutes to read Hubris, Self-Interest, and America's Failed War in Afghanistan aloud.

What Reading Level is Hubris, Self-Interest, and America's Failed War in Afghanistan?

Hubris, Self-Interest, and America's Failed War in Afghanistan is suitable for students ages 12 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy Hubris, Self-Interest, and America's Failed War in Afghanistan?

Hubris, Self-Interest, and America's Failed War in Afghanistan by Thomas P. Cavanna is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.

To buy Hubris, Self-Interest, and America's Failed War in Afghanistan by Thomas P. Cavanna on Amazon click the button below.