Musa Khan Jalalzai is a journalist whose experience includes over 20 years extensive research in political analysis, Afghanistan, terrorism issues, and human trafficking. His articles have been published by The New Yorker, the New York Times, and Moscow Times (English-language daily). He has published several books studying sectarian and ethnic violence, policing, and terrorism in various parts of the world, as well as the increasing crime, corruption and instability in Pakistan, Afghanistan and the region. During the First Gulf War (1991-1993) he was a research scholar at the Pakistan Institute of National Affairs where he completed two books on Persian Gulf politics. Jalalzai was Executive Director of the Daily Outlook, Afghanistan (2005-2009), and is a permanent writer of articles for Pakistan's daily The Post. He has a regular column in the Daily Times (Lahore, Pakistan) and The New Nation (Bangladesh).

He notes, "This book could not have been completed without the strong encouragement and support of former Director General, Inter Service Intelligence (ISI), General Asad Durrani and my Afghan friends in both the Interior and Defense Ministries of Afghanistan. I would like to thank former Chief of ISI, General Hamid Gul, who rang me up from Islamabad, Pakistan, and provided information regarding the importance of time and space in modern military conflicts. My friends Saqalain Imam of BBC Urdu Service London and Wadood Mushtaq of ARY TV Channel updated my knowledge of the war on terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan.”

Despite America's commitment to a "War on Terror," Afghan intelligence agencies remain unprofessional and profoundly ill-equipped to fight the Taliban and ISIS, incapable of effectively warning of threats, blocking deadly attacks, or adhering to...

Despite America's commitment to a "War on Terror," Afghan intelligence agencies remain unprofessional and profoundly ill-equipped to fight the Taliban and ISIS, incapable of effectively warning of threats, blocking deadly attacks, or adhering to elementary standards of treatment for suspects and prisoners. International journalist Musa Khan Jalalzai outlines the obstacles that stop them from developing professional, reliable systems so they can provide the government and military with actionable intel: tribal rivalries and lack of education, international interference, and no foundation of national identity to build on. Thousands of innocent people are killed in secret prisons, in broad daylight, and during brutal "investigations." Torture, custodial death, and denial of due process continue to drive citizens into revolt. He shows how such illegal and repugnant tactics have alienated the citizens from the state and forced young people to take up arms against the government and its international partners. The role of Pakistan is a particular focus, as well as relations with India and other neighbors. Broken agreements and a complete breakdown of trust, the author shows, threaten a complete failure of the Afghan state if this continues.