| Within
hours of the September 11 attacks, Sean M. Maloney deciphered
that Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda were the aggressors behind
the despicable act. A war in Afghanistan then was inevitable.
As a military historian, Maloney was determined to go there
to study and record the events for posterity, if for no other
reason than the education of his future students at Canada's
Royal Military College.
What resulted is
an in-depth and up-close look at the planning stages, deployment,
and aftermath of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
In Enduring the Freedom, Maloney presents a rare
on-the-spot view from such important locations as Kabul, Bagram,
and Kandahar. He describes the American-led intervention in
Afghanistan and the conduct of the war through early 2003,
then discusses the events of 2003 from the three locales in
detail.
Some critics contend
that the war in Afghanistan is another Vietnam. Maloney rebuts
that appraisal, pointing out that as opposed to the vague
language of the Vietnam era, American objectives were clearly
stated for Afghanistan. Those objectives were: to destroy
al Qaeda's networks, training camps, resources, and communication
systems; to destroy any governmental entity providing support
or sanctuary to al Qaeda; and to undertake reconstruction
efforts to ensure international terrorists can never again
use the country as a base. The first objective has more or
less been achieved. How to accomplish the last two is still
widely debated, and Maloney offers some insightful thoughts
and opinions. Finally, he offers educated advice going forward
in the hopeful completion of Operation Enduring Freedom.
"Drawing upon his skills as a trained soldier and accomplished
historian, Maloney provides a perceptive, firsthand account
of NATO and American military operations at the cutting edge
in Afghanistan. His is a cautionary tale — much has
been accomplished in the war on terrorism, but serious obstacles
to long-term regional stability remain. Anyone involved in
the war on terror — and who isn’t — will
profit from Maloney’s insights and observations."
— Peter S. Kindsvatter, command historian at the U.S.
Army Ordnance Center and Schools and author of American
Soldiers: Ground Combat in the World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam
"A vivid yet
insightful view of what the Global War on Terror really means
in Afghanistan’s unforgiving mountains and churning
cities. Sean Maloney’s combination of on-the-ground
experience in Afghanistan and his background as an experienced
military historian and analyst bring real insight to a fascinating
and strategically vital situation. It has been a new world
since 9/11, and Sean Maloney has expertly chronicled a part
of it. This is history written from the front line, not the
academic desk, by a Canadian with much experience of the emerging
nature of conflict worldwide."
— David C. Isby, consultant on national security issues
and author of War in a Distant Country: Afghanistan —
Invasion and Resistance
"Sean Maloney
is one of my favorite observers of the contemporary geopolitical
scene. He is that rarest of academic creatures — a fun
read. He is direct, uncompromising, brilliant, and takes no
prisoners. Enduring the Freedom . . . is a super
book."
— Lester Grau, author of The soviet-Afghan War:
How a Superpower Fought and Lost
Sean Maloney served in Germany as the historian
for the Canadian Army’s Cold War contribution to NATO
and has extensive field research experience in the Balkans,
the Middle East, and Afghanistan. He is the author of several
works, including the controversial Canada and Un Peacekeeping:
Cold War by Other Means, 1945-1970. He currently teaches
in the Royal Military College War Studies Programme and is
the strategic studies adviser to the Canadian Defence Academy.
He lives in Kingston, Ontario.
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