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The Long War: The Inside Story of America and Afghanistan Since 9/11
As troops pull out of Afghanistan at the end of America’s longest war, David Loyn's The Long War uncovers the failures at the start that set the scene for this prolonged conflict.
Three American presidents tried to defeat the Taliban – sending 150,000 international troops at the peak and spending a trillion dollars. But early policy mistakes that allowed Osama bin Laden to escape made the task far more difficult. Deceived by easy victories, they backed ruthless corrupt local allies and misspent aid. The story of The Long War is told by the generals who led it through the hardest years of combat as surges of international troops tried to turn the tide. Generals, which include David Petraeus, Stanley McChrystal, Joe Dunford and John Allen, were tested in battle as never before. With the reputation of a “warrior monk,” McChrystal was considered one of the most gifted military leaders of his generation. He was one of two generals to be fired in this most public of commands.
Holding together the coalition of countries who joined America’s fight in Afghanistan was just one part of the multi-dimensional puzzle faced by the generals, as they fought an elusive and determined enemy while responsible for thousands of young American and allied lives. The Long War goes behind the scenes of their command and of the Afghan government.
The fourth president to take on the war, Joe Biden, pulled troops out in 2021, twenty years after 9/11, while the conflict still raged, a decision with unforeseeable consequences.
Three American presidents tried to defeat the Taliban – sending 150,000 international troops at the peak and spending a trillion dollars. But early policy mistakes that allowed Osama bin Laden to escape made the task far more difficult. Deceived by easy victories, they backed ruthless corrupt local allies and misspent aid. The story of The Long War is told by the generals who led it through the hardest years of combat as surges of international troops tried to turn the tide. Generals, which include David Petraeus, Stanley McChrystal, Joe Dunford and John Allen, were tested in battle as never before. With the reputation of a “warrior monk,” McChrystal was considered one of the most gifted military leaders of his generation. He was one of two generals to be fired in this most public of commands.
Holding together the coalition of countries who joined America’s fight in Afghanistan was just one part of the multi-dimensional puzzle faced by the generals, as they fought an elusive and determined enemy while responsible for thousands of young American and allied lives. The Long War goes behind the scenes of their command and of the Afghan government.
The fourth president to take on the war, Joe Biden, pulled troops out in 2021, twenty years after 9/11, while the conflict still raged, a decision with unforeseeable consequences.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published October 5, 2021
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2254 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
September 19, 2021
A lot of people are not aware of how deathly this war has become, killing so many people. David Loyn an award winning foreign correspondent for 30 years for the BBC lays it all out for us in detail. Great information on the wars in the Middle East following 9/11. The military have put in so much effort to end this war by putting their lives on the line. David Loyn you did a great job. I learned details that saddened me that I was not aware of but needed to know. This book is worth reading.
September 16, 2021
As someone who traveled to Afghanistan and Pakistan in the mid 1970s, arriving just after Mohammed Zia-Ul-Haq’s military coup in Pakistan and leaving just before the Soviets arrive in Afghanistan, I have followed politics in the region avidly. Loyn, an award-winning foreign correspondent and US Funded Afghan Government Strategic, writes a definitive history of America’s longest war, the war begun after 9/11 and ending when President Biden evacuated the troops. Loyn also served as an advisor for Afghan president Ashraf Ghani, giving Loyn a unique perspective. He writes well of what we did right, did wrong, and what could have been improved—America’s resolution not to be a nation-builder and the poor insight US politicians had into the Afghan soul.
Loyn divides the book—and the war—into five phases. The first looks at America’s entrance into the war from 9/11/2001. In the second, the Taliban returns after being quiescent since the departure of the Soviets. Phase three looks at the surge of troops and the tribulations of coordinating the involvement of the various NATO countries. The fourth phase looks at NATO withdrawing its troops. And the fifth and final phase looks at the changing roles of the American military and the aftermath of its departure.
Inhabitants often pay the price of a country’s war, and this is certainly true in Afghanistan. Civilians took the brunt of the damage and, as the Taliban moves to consolidate its power in the post-withdrawal phase, women continue to lose rights as the country moves toward more extreme beliefs in Islam.
This is highly recommended reading for anyone who is interested in military operations and who wants to understand why a quick military involvement turned into America’s twenty-year war.
Loyn divides the book—and the war—into five phases. The first looks at America’s entrance into the war from 9/11/2001. In the second, the Taliban returns after being quiescent since the departure of the Soviets. Phase three looks at the surge of troops and the tribulations of coordinating the involvement of the various NATO countries. The fourth phase looks at NATO withdrawing its troops. And the fifth and final phase looks at the changing roles of the American military and the aftermath of its departure.
Inhabitants often pay the price of a country’s war, and this is certainly true in Afghanistan. Civilians took the brunt of the damage and, as the Taliban moves to consolidate its power in the post-withdrawal phase, women continue to lose rights as the country moves toward more extreme beliefs in Islam.
This is highly recommended reading for anyone who is interested in military operations and who wants to understand why a quick military involvement turned into America’s twenty-year war.
March 27, 2022
Can’t imagine a more comprehensive look of the US -Afghan engagement.
Loyn’s premise is that Afghanistan could’ve become a working, on its own state.
He then spends nearly 400 pages showing quite clearly how that was impossible.
These are all actors who were at odds, 180’ in opposition, or just at cross purposes at times.
American politicians, American generals, Karzi, Ghani, Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden, Pakistan, Al-queda, Taliban, warlords, Corruption, green on blue attacks, green on green attacks, American friendly fire, American murderers, NATO forces, all the states within NATO.
Are you beginning to get the picture?
Loyn’s premise is that Afghanistan could’ve become a working, on its own state.
He then spends nearly 400 pages showing quite clearly how that was impossible.
These are all actors who were at odds, 180’ in opposition, or just at cross purposes at times.
American politicians, American generals, Karzi, Ghani, Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden, Pakistan, Al-queda, Taliban, warlords, Corruption, green on blue attacks, green on green attacks, American friendly fire, American murderers, NATO forces, all the states within NATO.
Are you beginning to get the picture?
October 3, 2021
Simply outstanding. Probably the best book on the War in Afghanistan that I've read.
August 16, 2021
Advance copy from NetGalley.
Essential reading, particularly given the disastrous, dishonorable withdrawal from the country precipitated by the current administration, a disaster anticipated by this author. The Long War will surely be recognized as one of the early authoritative histories of the war in Afghanistan. It is, however, not only a detailed historical account but an extensive analysis of what went right, what went wrong and what should of been done. Mr. Loyn not only spent a lot of time reporting on the ground in Afghanistan, before and during the war, but he also served its President, enabling him to provide analysis most historians and reporters cannot. If only this book could have been put on Mr. Biden's desk months ago, or on the desk of any one of his predecessors. Highly recommended for anyone wishing to understand the 20 year conflict in Afghanistan and the potentially irreparable consequences of President Biden's hasty, ugly retreat.
Essential reading, particularly given the disastrous, dishonorable withdrawal from the country precipitated by the current administration, a disaster anticipated by this author. The Long War will surely be recognized as one of the early authoritative histories of the war in Afghanistan. It is, however, not only a detailed historical account but an extensive analysis of what went right, what went wrong and what should of been done. Mr. Loyn not only spent a lot of time reporting on the ground in Afghanistan, before and during the war, but he also served its President, enabling him to provide analysis most historians and reporters cannot. If only this book could have been put on Mr. Biden's desk months ago, or on the desk of any one of his predecessors. Highly recommended for anyone wishing to understand the 20 year conflict in Afghanistan and the potentially irreparable consequences of President Biden's hasty, ugly retreat.
June 21, 2021
Great information on the wars in the Middle East following 9/11. Most people are not aware of how complex this war has become.
April 7, 2022
Summary: A history of the war in Afghanistan from 9/11 until nearly the end of the U.S. presence in 2021.
It was America’s longest war. Yet I suspect many of us rarely noticed except for the early fight against al-Qaeda and the failed attempt to catch Bin Ladin, the death of Bin Ladin in 2011, and the scenes of the hectic withdrawal in the summer of 2021, eerily reminiscent of the departure of the U.S. from Vietnam in 1975.
David Loyn, a BBC reporter in Afghanistan, and for a year, communications adviser to President Ashraf Ghani, traces this long history. The recurring theme seems to be the lack of a sustained investment in what was needed to decisively defeat the Taliban, protect and invest in the development of the country, and effectively hand over to the indigenous government. It felt like being prescribed an antibiotic and taking it just enough to eliminate symptoms, then backing off, allowing the resurgence and resistance of the infection, complicated by the alternatives to the Taliban–governments reliant on the support of the country’s warlords, powerful and corrupt and resented by the people.
Loyn traces the problems back to decisions made early on. The Bush administration wanted a “light footprint,” reserving forces for the Iraq invasion, which was the military’s primary focus. This led to limited U.S participation in the pursuit of Bin Ladin, allowing his escape. Efforts to eliminate al-Qaeda’s allies, the Taliban, were hampered by the character of the international force and the complicated rules of engagement under which each company operated. Nevertheless, the Taliban was pushed back from Kabul and Kandahar and into the mountainous borders with Pakistan.
This allowed the Taliban a chance to re-group and take an insurgency approach, using IED’s and other disruptive measures against occupiers, gradually regaining ground rather than engaging in open warfare, protected by supposed US allies, the Pakistanis. By 2009, at the beginning of the Obama administration, it became clear a new strategy was needed. Special ops raids to strike key Taliban targets often resulted in civilian casualties and an increased hatred of the foreign presence. And as the US fell into disfavor with the Karzai government, the Taliban succeeded in recruiting disaffected Afghanis. And so the US “surged” troops, engaging in both counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism approaches under a succession of generals (McKiernan, McChrystal, and Petraeus). McChrystal continued to press for more troops, as much to protect the population as to kill terrorists. He got part of what he wanted and timetables for withdrawal, first by 2012 and then 2014, that hamstrung these efforts.
Both the Taliban and the U.S. began to explore talks, often cutting out the Afghan government, further rankling relations. As US and UN commanders sought to train Afghanis, the number of incidents rose of Afghanis turning on and killing their supposed allies. As the pullbacks continued, sometimes temporarily interrupted during the Trump administration, the Taliban continued to regain more of the country.
Loyn’s account ends before the hurried flight of the US from Afghanistan and the victory of the Taliban over the disappearing Afghan military and government. But it is pretty clear what was coming. It was the predictable end result of efforts to fight the war “on the cheap” (even though it ended up quite costly in money and lives). He shows the folly of unclear war aims, inadequate resources to do what needs to be done, ignorance of the nature of the culture, and a labyrinthine command and operational structure.
Loyn’s perspective seems to be that a longer term investment in counter insurgency with sufficient resources to defeat the enemy while winning the people and giving the young government breathing space would have led to a different outcome. We pretended not to be nation building until we were nation building, ambivalent in our investment of resources and troops and ignorant of the warlord structures that siphoned off so much of what we spent there. It seems to me that we were never quite clear why we were there, especially after the initial offensive against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. That itself seems to be problematic.
I suspect all this will be debated for years to come. Loyn’s book is a good starting point, tracing the decisions made, the different parties to the war, and its unfolding over twenty years. Let us hope that after Vietnam and Afghanistan we will learn how to avoid embroiling ourselves in these things.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
It was America’s longest war. Yet I suspect many of us rarely noticed except for the early fight against al-Qaeda and the failed attempt to catch Bin Ladin, the death of Bin Ladin in 2011, and the scenes of the hectic withdrawal in the summer of 2021, eerily reminiscent of the departure of the U.S. from Vietnam in 1975.
David Loyn, a BBC reporter in Afghanistan, and for a year, communications adviser to President Ashraf Ghani, traces this long history. The recurring theme seems to be the lack of a sustained investment in what was needed to decisively defeat the Taliban, protect and invest in the development of the country, and effectively hand over to the indigenous government. It felt like being prescribed an antibiotic and taking it just enough to eliminate symptoms, then backing off, allowing the resurgence and resistance of the infection, complicated by the alternatives to the Taliban–governments reliant on the support of the country’s warlords, powerful and corrupt and resented by the people.
Loyn traces the problems back to decisions made early on. The Bush administration wanted a “light footprint,” reserving forces for the Iraq invasion, which was the military’s primary focus. This led to limited U.S participation in the pursuit of Bin Ladin, allowing his escape. Efforts to eliminate al-Qaeda’s allies, the Taliban, were hampered by the character of the international force and the complicated rules of engagement under which each company operated. Nevertheless, the Taliban was pushed back from Kabul and Kandahar and into the mountainous borders with Pakistan.
This allowed the Taliban a chance to re-group and take an insurgency approach, using IED’s and other disruptive measures against occupiers, gradually regaining ground rather than engaging in open warfare, protected by supposed US allies, the Pakistanis. By 2009, at the beginning of the Obama administration, it became clear a new strategy was needed. Special ops raids to strike key Taliban targets often resulted in civilian casualties and an increased hatred of the foreign presence. And as the US fell into disfavor with the Karzai government, the Taliban succeeded in recruiting disaffected Afghanis. And so the US “surged” troops, engaging in both counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism approaches under a succession of generals (McKiernan, McChrystal, and Petraeus). McChrystal continued to press for more troops, as much to protect the population as to kill terrorists. He got part of what he wanted and timetables for withdrawal, first by 2012 and then 2014, that hamstrung these efforts.
Both the Taliban and the U.S. began to explore talks, often cutting out the Afghan government, further rankling relations. As US and UN commanders sought to train Afghanis, the number of incidents rose of Afghanis turning on and killing their supposed allies. As the pullbacks continued, sometimes temporarily interrupted during the Trump administration, the Taliban continued to regain more of the country.
Loyn’s account ends before the hurried flight of the US from Afghanistan and the victory of the Taliban over the disappearing Afghan military and government. But it is pretty clear what was coming. It was the predictable end result of efforts to fight the war “on the cheap” (even though it ended up quite costly in money and lives). He shows the folly of unclear war aims, inadequate resources to do what needs to be done, ignorance of the nature of the culture, and a labyrinthine command and operational structure.
Loyn’s perspective seems to be that a longer term investment in counter insurgency with sufficient resources to defeat the enemy while winning the people and giving the young government breathing space would have led to a different outcome. We pretended not to be nation building until we were nation building, ambivalent in our investment of resources and troops and ignorant of the warlord structures that siphoned off so much of what we spent there. It seems to me that we were never quite clear why we were there, especially after the initial offensive against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. That itself seems to be problematic.
I suspect all this will be debated for years to come. Loyn’s book is a good starting point, tracing the decisions made, the different parties to the war, and its unfolding over twenty years. Let us hope that after Vietnam and Afghanistan we will learn how to avoid embroiling ourselves in these things.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
October 8, 2021
I can't in all honesty say that I 'enjoyed' reading THE LONG WAR: The Inside Story of America and Afghanistan Since 9/11. It is a book meant to educate not provide escape. The realities of war are bleak, yes, but also seem to lack cohesive policy and execution of mission. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the book is that it is written by a British journalist. So many of the recent tell-all books written about U.S. politics and policy have been written by those closest to the situations. This is, for all intents and purposes, written by an outsider looking in. It provides a different, and much needed, perspective.
As you read this book, the chaos of the August 2021 withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan becomes a foregone conclusion. As I watched the mad dash to leave Kabul on television, I could only associate what I was seeing to the last day in Saigon.
From the perspective of history, THE LONG WAR is worth reading. A war that lasted through four presidents and far too many generals, the Afghan war was fought on day one with every new commander, every new deployment of troops. One commander was there for counter terrorism (CT) and the next was there for counterinsurgency (COIN). The flip flop from these two points of view did nothing to bring the conflict to resolution. The connection between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda may have been good for US journalists but did not live up to lived reality on the ground. Historically, the US has backed the wrong side in this century and the last.
If you read military history, you will find this book quite good. If you are looking to find dirt on four American administrations, you will be sorely disappointed.
As you read this book, the chaos of the August 2021 withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan becomes a foregone conclusion. As I watched the mad dash to leave Kabul on television, I could only associate what I was seeing to the last day in Saigon.
From the perspective of history, THE LONG WAR is worth reading. A war that lasted through four presidents and far too many generals, the Afghan war was fought on day one with every new commander, every new deployment of troops. One commander was there for counter terrorism (CT) and the next was there for counterinsurgency (COIN). The flip flop from these two points of view did nothing to bring the conflict to resolution. The connection between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda may have been good for US journalists but did not live up to lived reality on the ground. Historically, the US has backed the wrong side in this century and the last.
If you read military history, you will find this book quite good. If you are looking to find dirt on four American administrations, you will be sorely disappointed.
March 13, 2022
A long detailed and, of course, depressing account of the US involvement in Afghanistan. Very detailed and pretty opinionated, it makes for a pretty good read on the disastrous intervention.
As I said, Loyn is not afraid of offering up his opinions on strategies and the leaders of the effort. I can't vouch for either his "facts" or his opinions, but one thing becomes immediately obvious even to this all too casual observer - this was doomed to failure pretty much from the beginning. Everyone from the top down approached this as a short term thing, which, in the end, resulted in a more than 20 year involvement.
The turnover was hard to track. And each year, the American commander had completely different ideas on how to approach the conflict, which led to an entirely discombobulated strategy, if you could even call it that. Mostly money right down the toilet, with no forethought or long term thinking. Across administrations, across political parties, nobody had any idea what to do with it, besides pouring in manpower and money, which led to nothing in the end.
I have to admit to not even finishing the book. I got about 2/3 the way thru it, and it just got too depressing. Small victories quickly led to total defeats in ideas and strategy. I am not sure if Loyn had the answers, or just was armchair quarterbacking from a distance, but nothing was right about this, and it continues to fester. I wish the best for the Afghan people, but we didn't help at all, despite losing thousands of American lives and probably hundreds of thousands of Afghan lives. So depressing. But important to read.
As I said, Loyn is not afraid of offering up his opinions on strategies and the leaders of the effort. I can't vouch for either his "facts" or his opinions, but one thing becomes immediately obvious even to this all too casual observer - this was doomed to failure pretty much from the beginning. Everyone from the top down approached this as a short term thing, which, in the end, resulted in a more than 20 year involvement.
The turnover was hard to track. And each year, the American commander had completely different ideas on how to approach the conflict, which led to an entirely discombobulated strategy, if you could even call it that. Mostly money right down the toilet, with no forethought or long term thinking. Across administrations, across political parties, nobody had any idea what to do with it, besides pouring in manpower and money, which led to nothing in the end.
I have to admit to not even finishing the book. I got about 2/3 the way thru it, and it just got too depressing. Small victories quickly led to total defeats in ideas and strategy. I am not sure if Loyn had the answers, or just was armchair quarterbacking from a distance, but nothing was right about this, and it continues to fester. I wish the best for the Afghan people, but we didn't help at all, despite losing thousands of American lives and probably hundreds of thousands of Afghan lives. So depressing. But important to read.
September 11, 2021
Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley
A deep and decisive examination of the decades-long war in Afghanistan through the eyes of an award-winning foreign correspondent. An authority on Afghanistan, the author visited the country annually for nearly three decades and spent a year working as an adviser for Afghan president Ashraf Ghani.
Drawing on multiple sources including both first-hand interviews and his own experiences, the author addresses the complex logistics and examines the motivations and tactics of both military and government officials. He offers a comparable view of the insurgents as well.
Following an extensive introduction, the author divides his detailed study into several sections.
Phase One . . . The Die Is Cast, looking at the beginnings of the United States’ involvement in Afghanistan from 2001 through 2006.
Phase Two . . . The Taliban Return and the “peace-keeping” devolves into a shooting war between 2006 and 2009.
Phase Three . . . The Surge, with a focus on counterinsurgency and the influx of troops, from 2009 through 2011.
Phase Four . . . Drawdown, with NATO withdrawing from the country, from 2011 through 2014.
Phase Five . . . Endgame? looks at the changing role of the American military and, finally, its departure, from 2015 to 202?.
Each section has between two and five chapters; a bibliography and an extensive section of notes are also included as is an index.
As with most wars, the country’s people often pay the highest price; in the war in Afghanistan, the civilian cost is steep indeed. Without a doubt, readers will find some portions of this account difficult to read, but this book should be on every must-read list for the invaluable insight it offers into a decades-long conflict steeped in political maneuvering and ethnic misunderstandings.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#TheLongWar #NetGalley
A deep and decisive examination of the decades-long war in Afghanistan through the eyes of an award-winning foreign correspondent. An authority on Afghanistan, the author visited the country annually for nearly three decades and spent a year working as an adviser for Afghan president Ashraf Ghani.
Drawing on multiple sources including both first-hand interviews and his own experiences, the author addresses the complex logistics and examines the motivations and tactics of both military and government officials. He offers a comparable view of the insurgents as well.
Following an extensive introduction, the author divides his detailed study into several sections.
Phase One . . . The Die Is Cast, looking at the beginnings of the United States’ involvement in Afghanistan from 2001 through 2006.
Phase Two . . . The Taliban Return and the “peace-keeping” devolves into a shooting war between 2006 and 2009.
Phase Three . . . The Surge, with a focus on counterinsurgency and the influx of troops, from 2009 through 2011.
Phase Four . . . Drawdown, with NATO withdrawing from the country, from 2011 through 2014.
Phase Five . . . Endgame? looks at the changing role of the American military and, finally, its departure, from 2015 to 202?.
Each section has between two and five chapters; a bibliography and an extensive section of notes are also included as is an index.
As with most wars, the country’s people often pay the highest price; in the war in Afghanistan, the civilian cost is steep indeed. Without a doubt, readers will find some portions of this account difficult to read, but this book should be on every must-read list for the invaluable insight it offers into a decades-long conflict steeped in political maneuvering and ethnic misunderstandings.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#TheLongWar #NetGalley
September 23, 2021
A Comprehensive Look at the Afghanistan War
For twenty years the US has suffered through a war in Afghanistan at the cost of trillions of dollars and the lives of more that 3000 young men. The story is told by David Loyn. He was there first as a reporter for the BBC and later as an adviser to the office of the Afghan President.
The story moves from the inciting incident of 9/11 through the difficult years when three different presidents were unable to satisfactorily end the conflict. It’s the story of the generals, Petraeus, McChrystal, Dunsfor and Allen, who in spite of their abilities were unable to satisfactorily resolve the conflict.
In the aftermath of Biden’s precipitate withdrawal from Afghanistan, this is a book worth reading. It not only cover the battles, but also the policy considerations including those of our allies. Loyn’s analysis is extensive and not limited to one view of the conflict. He illuminates decisions that were right, many that were wrong, and the consequences for the US and our allies. It is a book well worth reading.
I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.
For twenty years the US has suffered through a war in Afghanistan at the cost of trillions of dollars and the lives of more that 3000 young men. The story is told by David Loyn. He was there first as a reporter for the BBC and later as an adviser to the office of the Afghan President.
The story moves from the inciting incident of 9/11 through the difficult years when three different presidents were unable to satisfactorily end the conflict. It’s the story of the generals, Petraeus, McChrystal, Dunsfor and Allen, who in spite of their abilities were unable to satisfactorily resolve the conflict.
In the aftermath of Biden’s precipitate withdrawal from Afghanistan, this is a book worth reading. It not only cover the battles, but also the policy considerations including those of our allies. Loyn’s analysis is extensive and not limited to one view of the conflict. He illuminates decisions that were right, many that were wrong, and the consequences for the US and our allies. It is a book well worth reading.
I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.
September 21, 2021
The Too Long War
Inside the pages of The Long War you will learn how the war in Afghanistan was doomed from the very start. David Loyn, a reporter for the BBC, documents the story from the invasion of Afghanistan until shortly before its end. He was there and witnessed the miscalculations and mistakes that were made from the beginning. This important book will take you there, explain the actions that were taken, and not taken, from the prospective of the people in charge. Much can be learned from this waste of time, money, and personnel for a war that was never really fought to win. It is a difficult book to read, but important to help you understand the intricacies of this war and its effect on the people who were caught in its grasp. The war in Afghanistan was abruptly terminated on August 31, 2021. The tragedy of this hasty and ill-planned action may continue for years. I received an advance copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley.
Inside the pages of The Long War you will learn how the war in Afghanistan was doomed from the very start. David Loyn, a reporter for the BBC, documents the story from the invasion of Afghanistan until shortly before its end. He was there and witnessed the miscalculations and mistakes that were made from the beginning. This important book will take you there, explain the actions that were taken, and not taken, from the prospective of the people in charge. Much can be learned from this waste of time, money, and personnel for a war that was never really fought to win. It is a difficult book to read, but important to help you understand the intricacies of this war and its effect on the people who were caught in its grasp. The war in Afghanistan was abruptly terminated on August 31, 2021. The tragedy of this hasty and ill-planned action may continue for years. I received an advance copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley.
September 21, 2021
After 20 years, more than a trillion dollars, 3000 lives, and 4 U.S. presidents we have succeeded in kicking the Taliban out of Afghanistan and returning control to……the Taliban. Author David Loyn had the catbird’s seat, first as a BBC reporter and later as an advisor to the office of the Afghan president. He takes the reader through the early days of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks, though the hiring and firing of not one, but two generals (McKiernan and later McChrystal) and through the spending of billions of U.S.dollars. “ The Long War” is essential to understand the need to know how to exit before you ever enter. The book is important to understanding that war is about more than fighting.
September 22, 2021
This is a very detailed look at Afghanistan as it has emerged over the past 20 years. It is a book that will be understandable for those in the general public and intellectuals alike. It looks at the historical perspectives from not only the Americans involved but also the Afghanis. It is thoughtful that the author doesn’t offer his opinions to skew what opinions the reader will form. It forms a great resource for students who may be studying political science or international affairs in school.
March 25, 2022
I was disappointed.
One of my favorite phrases I use for understanding books (or many other things) is: This guy can't see the forest through the trees. This book is intensely tree-centric. You get tons and tons of detail and piles and piles of info and reams and reams of stuff and .... a lot of times it just reads like details nad info and stuff where it's hard to make context of what it amounts to and what it all means. It's like a guy describing a forest by discussing each tree one by one. My eyes - they glaze over.
Loyn clearly knew the generals. This is basically an account based upon extensive interviews with those in command center at various times over the 20 years. So not only is the book hyper-detailed, but also weirdly bloodless. Well, that's not the right word, as battles are fought - but a heavily detailed account of the war from the point of view of those in charge. It's detailed and still not as colorful as you'd think.
The book could use a cast-of-characters section at the intro to help the reader keep straight of who is who as one reads the book.
It's a surprisingly hard book to read, which normally isn't a problem from a book written by a journalist.
One of my favorite phrases I use for understanding books (or many other things) is: This guy can't see the forest through the trees. This book is intensely tree-centric. You get tons and tons of detail and piles and piles of info and reams and reams of stuff and .... a lot of times it just reads like details nad info and stuff where it's hard to make context of what it amounts to and what it all means. It's like a guy describing a forest by discussing each tree one by one. My eyes - they glaze over.
Loyn clearly knew the generals. This is basically an account based upon extensive interviews with those in command center at various times over the 20 years. So not only is the book hyper-detailed, but also weirdly bloodless. Well, that's not the right word, as battles are fought - but a heavily detailed account of the war from the point of view of those in charge. It's detailed and still not as colorful as you'd think.
The book could use a cast-of-characters section at the intro to help the reader keep straight of who is who as one reads the book.
It's a surprisingly hard book to read, which normally isn't a problem from a book written by a journalist.
April 6, 2023
A very detailed account of the 20 years war from 2001, when USA and NATO troops entered Afghanistan after the 9/11 attack. The intent was to bring Osama bin Laden and his troops to justice, stamp out terrorism and terrorists. It turned into a long presence, attempting to bring governance and eliminate the Taliban and its brutal rule.
As 4 USA presidents struggled to do the right thing, it was only in 2021 that the troops finally left Afghanistan, with the country no better than before.
The author had first-hand experience of the war zone as a journalist and then advisor to the Afghan leadership. He has visited most of the country, spoken to senior generals and top civil officials.
For lovers of military history the book has all the details and citations. However it lacks in flow and is a difficult read especially for those not familiar with Afghanistan and it's violent history.
I personally didn't have a pleasurable reading experience though gained a lot of dry information and learnt how the American leadership tried to explain away their failure in this very long war.
As 4 USA presidents struggled to do the right thing, it was only in 2021 that the troops finally left Afghanistan, with the country no better than before.
The author had first-hand experience of the war zone as a journalist and then advisor to the Afghan leadership. He has visited most of the country, spoken to senior generals and top civil officials.
For lovers of military history the book has all the details and citations. However it lacks in flow and is a difficult read especially for those not familiar with Afghanistan and it's violent history.
I personally didn't have a pleasurable reading experience though gained a lot of dry information and learnt how the American leadership tried to explain away their failure in this very long war.
September 13, 2021
The Long War is by David Loyn, who was a reporter for the BBC and later (apparently 2015) became a "US Funded Afghan Government Strategic ''. Mr Loyn gives the reader his opinions and glimpses into the generals and other participants of the Afghanistan War. I think Mr Loyn has included some (all?) of the agreement Donald Trump made with the Taliban. I say I think because I cannot read whatever language it is written in. We all understand that hindsight is 20/20 and I am of the opinion that like the Afghanistan War this book is longer than it needed to be. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy to review.
February 4, 2023
The Long War: The Inside Story of America and Afghanistan Since 9/11
David Loyn put together a story based on the timeline of the war through the coming and going of the major military and political figures. I gained a bit more understanding about how events unfolded through those 20-years…and maybe the “why”. So many egos played a part, mostly destructive and very inefficient. Not enough foresight or planning to achieve a favorable outcome for the citizens of Afghanistan - which is very sad. History repeating itself. Media is very powerful and can change the course of history very effectively, for good and for bad.
David Loyn put together a story based on the timeline of the war through the coming and going of the major military and political figures. I gained a bit more understanding about how events unfolded through those 20-years…and maybe the “why”. So many egos played a part, mostly destructive and very inefficient. Not enough foresight or planning to achieve a favorable outcome for the citizens of Afghanistan - which is very sad. History repeating itself. Media is very powerful and can change the course of history very effectively, for good and for bad.
November 2, 2021
Gave up. Could tell within the first couple of chapters it was from the view point of “they meant well”. The wars of the 21st century have been perpetrated by blood soaked monsters and I want real insight and information. Not pro empire fluff. It may have gotten better but when I read something about Obama having a heavy heart sending boys off to war I knew this wasn’t the insight I was looking for. Bush, Obama, Trump and good portion of the people who surrounded them should be in jail for war crimes. Don’t expect sympathy from me.
November 16, 2021
What an absolute mess this effort was from the start
I don't believe any of the different strategies would have resulted in anything close to a "win". So many competing interests and so many con men and an unbelievable amount of dysfunction and corruption. I don't like the way we left all that much but I'm glad we're out. The perils of a manufactured country with ethnic and tribal loyalties rendering any national loyalty secondary at best.
I don't believe any of the different strategies would have resulted in anything close to a "win". So many competing interests and so many con men and an unbelievable amount of dysfunction and corruption. I don't like the way we left all that much but I'm glad we're out. The perils of a manufactured country with ethnic and tribal loyalties rendering any national loyalty secondary at best.
July 11, 2023
It is indeed comprehensive. I would say this is one of the better books on the subject, I especially liked that Loyn took the time to explain more technical jargon, I think this makes it more accessible to a wider audience. I also appreciated how Loyn took the opportunity to critically analyze different policy choices and show how a particular pattern of policies ultimately led to a rather dismal outcome. Some parts nonetheless could use some editing.
April 10, 2024
This book is hard for me to rate. Primarily because the commentary is hindsight. Comparing Afghanistan to Vietnam is hard and inaccurate. The author talks about how many mistakes were made and how we shouldn't have been there. But then criticizes that America left. Bush was bad, Obama was good because he meant business, Trump evil because they left even though generals said it was hopeless. Overall a overview of the war from 50000 feet.
January 18, 2022
Excellent book not withstanding all the nice words for many of the U.S. leaders involved, political and military. At times, the author makes them sound smart enough to solve the problem individually, but not collectively. Certainly puts President Biden's decision in sharper context. Failed to convince me that the problem was solvable at the start.
December 27, 2022
A good history lesson on why a war needs to be short and objectives well defined by all. Too many Gans in the batter made the goal of victory impossible in Afghanistan. Each president and each general had his own vision of what victory looks like. Because of multiple vision miscalculations we wind up with a bloody retreat that is called a graceful withdrawal by the Biden administration!
July 20, 2023
A true history is hard to write in the first 10-20 years after an event, is what one of my history teachers said. The emotions are too raw, and some things relating to the military are still classified.
This book however does an interesting job of walking through the different thoughts and events surrounding the leadership of the United States and Afghanistan. Give it a read, it was good.
This book however does an interesting job of walking through the different thoughts and events surrounding the leadership of the United States and Afghanistan. Give it a read, it was good.
September 18, 2021
I received an advance copy of, The Long War, by David Loyn. This book is about the war in Afghanistan. It is told from a military perspective. It is a very good book, on what are men and women went through. A lot of politics.
October 3, 2021
The author has been in my opinion a nice unbiased look at events in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2020. A really in-depth look at how milatary events unfolded and the success and failures. Very insightful and eye opening. The author has done a wonderful jobs in relaying this time during the war/
February 19, 2022
I thought this book was a great deep dive into the minds of the people who were running the show in the military conflicts or of the century for America. I believe it does a good job covering the war in chronological order and introduces you to the generals and politicians of the war.
February 10, 2023
2.5/5.0--I appreciate the author's insights, especially when his various jobs placed him in the "room where it happens". The narrative did not have a lot of flow, but then again, neither did this war. And American readers will need a strong stomach for condescending, British criticism.
November 28, 2021
Good read. Learnt a lot about the war now.
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