The Most Dangerous Place: Pakistans Lawless Frontier
by By Gul, Imtiaz
Category: Social Science , Ethnic Studies , General

"One word comes to mind: `indispensable.' To understand the mess we're getting into in Pakistan's lawless tribal areas, there's no better book out there."---Robert Baer, former CIA agent and author of See No Evil"Imtiaz Gul takes the reader into the lion's den---into Pakistan's tribal areas, the meanest, toughest region of the planet. He has a journalist's sharp eye for the personalities and conspiracy theories that are woven through this area. This is the best guide yet to understanding the fascinating, frightening place where Al Qaeda lives today."---David Ignatius, author of Body of Lies"Veteran Pakistani reporter Imtiaz Gul brings his deep knowledge and reporting to bear on one of the world's most opaque and underreported places, Pakistan's tribal areas, the headquarters of Al Qaeda and key elements of the Taliban. Gul delivers a balanced account of the evolving relations that the Pakistani military, government, and public have had with Pakistan's own militant groups. This book could not be more well timed as President Obama faces the most important foreign policy challenge of his presidency from the violent extremists who call this place their home."---Peter Bergen, author of Holy war, Inc. and The Osama bin Laden I Know"Imtiaz Gul has provided an invaluable service, drawing together reporting and research on Pakistan's tribal areas and adding his own firsthand experience. A timely and important work."---Jason Burke, author of Al-Qaeda and On the Road to KandabarEight years ago we chased the Taliban from Kabul and forced Al Qaeda to find a new home. One by one the militants crossed the border into Pakistan and settled in its tribal areas, terrorizing or bribing their way to power. This place---Pakistan's lawless frontier---is now the epicenter of global terrorism. It is, in President Obama's words, "the most dangerous place," a hornet's nest of violent extremists, many of whom have turned against their own state.Hugely authoritative and astonishing in its revelations, The Most Dangerous Place tells the gripping story of how Pakistan was set on fire, with suicide bombers, unknown before 2002, now striking at least once a week. It confirms what everyone knows though few will admit: there will be no peace in Afghanistan until the Pakistani Taliban is brought under control. Can it be done? Who are these people and what are their links to Al Qaeda and the ISI, Pakistan's all-powerful intelligence agency?For twenty-five years, Imtiaz Gul has been fearlessly reporting on these groups for local and international media. He knows the key players and has unparalleled access to military and intelligence sources. Based on exclusive interviews with high-ranking intelligence, government, and military officers and extensive firsthand reporting in villages where no American journalist would be safe, The Most Dangerous Place is a gripping and explosive expose of a region that we all fear and need urgently to understand