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In his new book The Good War, Jack Fairweather writes that the war in Afghanistan could turn out to be the defining tragedy of the 21st century. (thegoodwar.com)

In his State Of The Union address, President Obama touted the end of the U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan, but a new book says it could turn out to be the defining tragedy of the 21st century.

If the West can help that police officer and that Taliban teenager find common ground, thats where the future lies.

Tracing the conflict from 9/11 to the American drawdown at the end of 2014, The Good War: Why We Couldnt Win the War or the Peace in Afghanistan refutes the argument that the war could have been won with more boots on the ground. (Read an excerpt below.)

Despite the gloomy description of this history, the book ends on an optimistic note, saying there has been progress in Afghanistan in the last 13 years and there is hope for the future.

Author and war correspondent Jack Fairweathertalks with Here & Nows Robin Young about his new book and what it suggests about the memory of the war in American history.

What is the Good War?

On the one hand, the good war was the effort to get rid of al-Qaida and remove that threat that had led to 9/11. On the other hand, it was the effort to rebuild Afghanistan, a country shattered by 20 years of war, since the Soviet occupation in the 1970s.

Jack Fairweathers new book is The Good War: Why We Couldnt Win the War of the Peace in Afghanistan. (Barney Jones)

On why we couldnt win the war

Go here to read the rest:
How 'The Good War' In Afghanistan Went Bad