"We were better off under the Russians."

[michael pugliese]

   Some time back I posted notice of an excellent Fred Halliday
journal article (about 40 pgs. or so) from 1998 on the PDPA,
(which expanded greatly on his two classic New Left Review pieces
from the immediate aftermath of the Soviet invasion) and it's
violent internal factionalism and the Soviet occupation of the
80's. For newbies here, I can send offlist again to the curious.
(BTW, found it via the great resource alot of libraries have,
EBSCO.)
   Other resources, "The Tragedy of Afgahnistan, " by a Pakistani
leftist (blanking on his name, my copy is at home), published
by Verso, get the revised 2nd ed., preface by Halliday. Great
on the ground analysis and background on Afghan communism.
   Doris Lessing (yes, the ex-Communist novelist), "The Wind
Blows Away Our Words, " Random House/Vintage Books, mid 80's.
G. Chaliand, author of the classic, Revolution In the Third World,
"Penguin Books, preface by Wallerstein, has a book on Afghan
mujahdeen. See his anthology from U.C. Press on Guerilla struggles
for his classic NYRB piece from the early 80's. (Old time anti-Vietnam
War activists may recall his, "The Peasants Of North Vietnam,
" late 60's published by Penguin Books.
   http://www.www.csf.colorado.edu/mail/psn/2001/msg01918.html
   Chapter by Ahmed Rashid in a book published by neo-con org.
Freedom House in the early 80's.
   M. Hasan Kakar, "Afghanistan: The Soviet Invasion and the
Afghan Response, " U.C. Press. By a liberal Muslim imprisoned
by the PDPA.
   "The Hidden War: A Russian Journalist's Account of the Soviet
War, " Grove Press, have not read, blurbs look good.
Michael Pugliese