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Under the Drones: Modern Lives in the Afghanistan-Pakistan Borderlands
In the West, media coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan is framed by military and political concerns, resulting in a simplistic picture of ageless barbarity, terrorist safe havens, and peoples in need of either punishment or salvation. Under the Drones looks beyond this limiting view to investigate real people on the ground, and to analyze the political, social, and economic forces that shape their lives. Understanding the complexity of life along the 1,600-mile border between Afghanistan and Pakistan can help America and its European allies realign their priorities in the region to address genuine problems, rather than fabricated ones.
This volume explodes Western misunderstandings by revealing a land that abounds with human agency, perpetual innovation, and vibrant complexity. Through the work of historians and social scientists, the thirteen essays here explore the real and imagined presence of the Taliban; the animated sociopolitical identities expressed through traditions like Pakistani truck decoration; Sufism’s ambivalent position as an alternative to militancy; the long and contradictory history of Afghan media; and the simultaneous brutality and potential that heroin brings to women in the area.
Moving past shifting conceptions of security, the authors expose the West’s prevailing perspective on the region as strategic, targeted, and alarmingly dehumanizing. Under the Drones is an essential antidote to contemporary media coverage and military concerns.
This volume explodes Western misunderstandings by revealing a land that abounds with human agency, perpetual innovation, and vibrant complexity. Through the work of historians and social scientists, the thirteen essays here explore the real and imagined presence of the Taliban; the animated sociopolitical identities expressed through traditions like Pakistani truck decoration; Sufism’s ambivalent position as an alternative to militancy; the long and contradictory history of Afghan media; and the simultaneous brutality and potential that heroin brings to women in the area.
Moving past shifting conceptions of security, the authors expose the West’s prevailing perspective on the region as strategic, targeted, and alarmingly dehumanizing. Under the Drones is an essential antidote to contemporary media coverage and military concerns.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 14, 2012
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March 30, 2013
Alright, this is my first book review so don't butcher me. I give this book a solid 4.5 stars out of five. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the events of the region, and to any and all members that have spent or will spend time in Afghanistan. Don't let the title mislead you. It is not some sap story about the people who get caught in the middle of American drone strikes. It does a beautiful job of dissecting Western preconceived notions of the Af-Pak region. The political history of Afghanistan and Pakistan in regards to Pashtunistan and Balochistan is a great start for anyone who doesn't have in depth knowledge of the region.
In regards to the chapters about the Taliban, the book does a pretty good job. The history of the word talib and Taliban are interesting and it is quite refreshing to hear the fact that they are all not religious fanatics. Drug money is a huge motivation. The Taliban and the mujahideen are not some back water hicks taking pop shots at convoys driving by. In most insurgencies the dumb ones die first. These are the guys who fought against a Soviet occupation and are currently resisting a decade old American and NATO venture. The paragraphs describing how interconnected each Afghan is within his tribe and how a member of a shadow government can put into perspective of how good their HUMINT (human intelligence) and non tech forms of communication are. Yes they have cell phones and satellite phones and so forth, but word of mouth can still spread information faster then you think.
The one chapter I did not agree on is Madrasa Statistics Don't Support The Myth. The statistics themselves are derived from a census taken in 1998 in Pakistan. That's fifteen years old. It is only naive to believe that demographics couldn't change considerably in only a decades time. Not to mention Pakistanis' sentiments could have drastically changed in the events after 9/11, which is three years after the census data was taken. To me this chapter was more on making a focused argument on data to old to be relevant then an approach to inform the reader.
The last chapter on the Opium trade is one of the best. If you spend any time near the Helmand river or even four hundred meters outside of Camp Leatherneck you will see with you own eyes on how prevalent the drug trade is to Afghan society. A couple kilos of heroin is not a big deal to the smugglers. You have to start adding a couple zeros in order to see the magnitude of what's going on.
All in all a great book, well put together and a highly informative read. Pick it up, read it, and enjoy.
In regards to the chapters about the Taliban, the book does a pretty good job. The history of the word talib and Taliban are interesting and it is quite refreshing to hear the fact that they are all not religious fanatics. Drug money is a huge motivation. The Taliban and the mujahideen are not some back water hicks taking pop shots at convoys driving by. In most insurgencies the dumb ones die first. These are the guys who fought against a Soviet occupation and are currently resisting a decade old American and NATO venture. The paragraphs describing how interconnected each Afghan is within his tribe and how a member of a shadow government can put into perspective of how good their HUMINT (human intelligence) and non tech forms of communication are. Yes they have cell phones and satellite phones and so forth, but word of mouth can still spread information faster then you think.
The one chapter I did not agree on is Madrasa Statistics Don't Support The Myth. The statistics themselves are derived from a census taken in 1998 in Pakistan. That's fifteen years old. It is only naive to believe that demographics couldn't change considerably in only a decades time. Not to mention Pakistanis' sentiments could have drastically changed in the events after 9/11, which is three years after the census data was taken. To me this chapter was more on making a focused argument on data to old to be relevant then an approach to inform the reader.
The last chapter on the Opium trade is one of the best. If you spend any time near the Helmand river or even four hundred meters outside of Camp Leatherneck you will see with you own eyes on how prevalent the drug trade is to Afghan society. A couple kilos of heroin is not a big deal to the smugglers. You have to start adding a couple zeros in order to see the magnitude of what's going on.
All in all a great book, well put together and a highly informative read. Pick it up, read it, and enjoy.
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