Magnificent Delusions (India Hc Ed): Pakistan, The United States, And An Epic History Of Misunderstanding

Review Daily Times (Pakistan)In statecraft, like in clinical medicine, an impeccable history nails the majority of diagnoses. Professor Haqqani makes this job so much easier through this well referenced work delivered in a flawless style. He has provided a reality check in a timely manner without sensationalising the topic. The former ambassador, an avid Boston Red Sox fan, has clearly had no difficulty in scoring another scholarly home run.'Mark Moyer, Wall Street Journal[Haqqani's] purpose isn't to narrate his service as ambassador or score political points but to outline the contours of American relations with Pakistan over time, with a final chapter depicting the 2011 collapse as a new instance of historical trends. While one might desire a fuller accounting of his ambassadorship, the book covers its chosen ground superbly.Richard Leiby, Washington PostA solid synthesis of history, political analysis and social critique.'Kapil Komireddi, Daily Beast'The most cleareyed history of the U.S.Pakistan relationship yet published...Not only should Haqqani's book be read by everyone with an interest in Pakistan; it ought be compulsory reading for members of Congress and officials at the State Department.'Free Press Journal (India)Perhaps nobody in the entire world is more and better qualified to write about USPakistan relations than Husain Haqqani Certainly no book published in recent times or, for that matter, anytime, can be said to be so fair, so objective, so revelatory as Magnificent Delusions'. Pakistan is exposed as no book ever has. So is the United States. So are leaders after leaders whether in the Pakistani hierarchy or in the political world of the United States Haqqani is never vicious. He falls back on facts to reserve his opinion. And the facts tell it all. Every page of this book is worth its weight in gold. It reveals the damning truth about the US and Pakistan in all its matchless ignominy.Stephen Kinzer,The GuardianAs a trenchant and unsparing account of how these two countries came to mistrust each other so deeply, despite pretending to be friends, this book is unmatched. Its implicit message the need to remake Pakistan is even more provocative.Pakistan TodayMagnificent Delusion as a sketch of history and foreign policy is a thoroughly exhilarating read... While the book oscillates around the USPak spine, it is indubitably a wellrounded critique of Pakistan itself, from its inception to the modern day mayhem. And of course it is not devoid of its controversial moments.Library JournalHaqqani uses his wealth of personal experience to present a detailed account of the genesis and evolution of U.S.Pakistani relations over the last 60 years The book is a useful resource for academics, journalists, and policymakers at all levels.Publishers WeeklyInsightful if disturbing... Making it clear why he is persona non grata in his homeland, Haqqani concludes that military aid has undermined Pakistan's democracy, converting it into a rentier state living off American money rather than its people's productivity.Madeleine AlbrightMagnificent Delusions provides a fascinating insider's account of America's important but troubled relationship with Pakistan. Ambassador Haqqani's purpose is not to fix blame, but to explain how two countries that have for 60 years described themselves as allies can nevertheless misunderstand each other thoroughly and repeatedly. Richlydetailed, this skillfully written narrative will enlighten scholars, entrance average readers, and give future diplomats much to contemplate. It is a timely, valuable and objective book.Michael Kugelman, Foreign Policy'Impeccably researched, with an overwhelming reliance on primary sources thereby making its often controversial findings impossible to dispute. The book's tone is strikingly restrained, subjective yet never polemical. This is admirable, given that its author's public service career has been damaged, if not destro