Books​ Reviews

No-Win War explores the ups and downs in the relations between Pakistan and the United States (US) in the post-9/11 years. An uneasy relationship of several turbulences that has swung in a cyclical pattern of close engagement to almost the point of estrangement, it is one that cannot fully break up.

Against this background, the book turns to the underlying causes of tension over the years. Unlike most studies on the subject, No-Win War investigates the important connection between internal political developments in Pakistan and American foreign policy as well as the influence of regional geopolitical developments on Pakistan’s domestic politics. Hussain’s new book also throws light on the implications for Afghanistan in the so-called war on terror and the cost of Pakistan’s old ties with Taliban and the close alignment with the US.