A Rock Between Hard Places: Afghanistan as an Arena of Regional Insecurity (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780190627232)

What has driven neighbouring states to intervene in the Afghan conflict? This book challenges mainstream analyses which place Afghanistan at the centre - the so-called 'heart' - of a large pan-Asian region whose fate is predicated on Afghan stability. Instead Harpviken and Tadjbakhsh situate Afghanistan on the margins of three regional security complexes - those of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Persian Gulf - each characterised by deep security rivalries, which, in turn, informs their engagement in Afghanistan. Within Central Asia, security cooperation is hampered by competition for regional supremacy and great power support, a dynamic reflected in these states' half-hearted role in Afghanistan. In the Persian Gulf, Iran and Saudi Arabia fight for economic and political influence, mirrored in their Afghan engagements; while long-standing Indo-Pakistani rivalries are perennially played out in Afghanistan.

Based on a careful reading of the recent political and economic history of the region, and of Great Power rivalry beyond it, the authors explain why efforts to build a comprehensive Afghanistan-centric regional security order have failed, and suggest what might be done to reset inter-state relations.

Author: Kristian Berg Harpviken, Shahrbanou Tadjbakhsh
ISBN-10: 0190627239
ISBN-13: 9780190627232
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Language: English
Published: 09/01/2016
Pages: 224
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.65lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.50w x 0.60d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 02/01/2017