Limited and over-generalized categories negatively affected the U.S.’ success in Afghanistan.

Gopal wastes no time in his book claiming that American military and political leaders made a mistake by viewing the war in Afghanistan through only two sharply divided categories. On one side were pro-American democrats, who were vehemently opposed to al-Qaeda and the Taliban and wanted to install American-style democracy. The enemies were fundamentalist terrorists who despised Western values and modernity and wanted to return Afghanistan to system of strict Islamic and tribal law. This view was extended to the worldwide war on terrorism and became commonplace among most Americans. In contrast, Gopal argues that few Afghans fit neatly into these categories. Some were ostensibly American allies but often undercut U.S. efforts to advance their own interests. Others who sided with the Taliban did so out of necessity or frustration, but had no ideological conflicts with...