Magnificent Delusions

History made into story, this is an excellent title for those who want to understand more about the complex relationship the U.S. has with Pakistan, bastion of Islamic ideology. Narrator Ralph Lister's crisp, deliberate pronunciation moves through the dense historical details at a steady pace while remaining comprehensible. Lister makes sense of a dizzying number of dates, names, and facts in recounting the creation and seventy-year process of shaping the modern-day state. His narration is swift and sure, taking the listener along the intricate narrative. For those who enjoy nonfiction in the audio format, this is a strong example of how substantial historical and cultural material can be handled deftly. M.R. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

September 9, 2013
Mistrust and cross-purposes characterize relations between Pakistan and the U.S., writes Haqqani, Pakistan’s ambassador to the U.S from 2008 to 2011 and now a Boston University professor, in this insightful if disturbing history. During the bloodshed of 1947, India’s forces drove Pakistan from Kashmir, a Muslim majority region that, theoretically, belonged to Muslim Pakistan. Obsession over Kashmir’s loss persists, creating a “virtual permanent war with India”; civil government remains subservient to the military, which absorbs most of Pakistan’s revenue, leaving little for economic development. Pakistani leaders quickly requested U.S aid, trumpeting their anticommunism. America responded modestly but generously after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, and massively after 9/11. Pakistan spends the bulk of its resources facing India—American leaders accept this as the price of cooperation but gnash their teeth over Pakistan’s tepid enthusiasm for our war on terror. Pakistan’s generals have no love for al-Qaeda but have long supported the Afghan Taliban and would prefer them to the present government. 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. Agent: the Wylie Agency.