Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military by Husain Haqqani

From the Publisher

Among U.S. allies in the war against terrorism, Pakistan cannot be easily characterized as either friend or foe. Nuclear-armed Pakistan is an important center of radical Islamic ideas and groups. Since 9/11, the selective cooperation of president General Pervez Musharraf in sharing intelligence with the United States and apprehending al Qaeda members has led to the assumption that Pakistan might be ready to give up its longstanding ties with radical Islam. But Pakistan’s status as an Islamic ideological state is closely linked with the Pakistani elite’s worldview and the praetorian ambitions of its military.

This book analyzes the origins of the relationships between Islamist groups and Pakistan’s military, and explores the nation’s quest for identity and security. Tracing how the military has sought U.S. support by making itself useful for concerns of the moment while continuing to strengthen the mosque-military alliance within Pakistan Haqqani offers an alternative view of political developments since the country’s independence in 1947.

Wall Street Journal

"[Haqqani's] analysis will reward anyone who seeks to understand one of the most perplexing foreign policy challenges facing the U.S. today."

Commentary, December 2005 - Alex Alexiev

"[F]our years after 9/11, Pakistan remains a major breeding ground of Islamist fanaticism and terror. For gaining a grasp of the situation and its implications for the United States, there may be no better place to begin than Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military. . . . Haqqani brings impressive credentials to the task of analyzing his native land. . . . this is an outstanding book on a subject that could not be more timely."

Foreign Affairs

Given the signal importance of Pakistan to U.S. foreign policy these days, the lack of informed commentary on the country is striking. This book fills a bit of that gap. Haqqani, a journalist and former diplomat, effectively and cogently argues that three key political choices — the promotion of religious nationalism, the continual pursuit of a confrontation with India, and an attempt to secure Western (particularly U.S.) support — have informed both the domestic and foreign policies of the independent Pakistani state. This analytic framework will not surprise most scholars of Pakistani politics. Haqqani's contribution lies in his careful documentation and use of evidence. One of the political choices on which he focuses — religious nationalism — may well determine the future of the Pakistani polity, and Haqqani illustrates its deep roots, which preceded the formation of the Pakistani state. The principal architect of Pakistan, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, actively courted the conservative Islamic clergy in an attempt to build support for his cause. The military leadership, which has ruled Pakistan for the bulk of its independent life, continued and expanded on this treacherous policy. The specter of religious radicalism born of this policy haunts Pakistani politics to this day.

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Table of Contents