A clear-eyed view of the conflict in Afghanistan and its century-deep roots.
Blood Washing Blood examines the war in Afghanistan through a different lens – as a cultural and social conflict, with deep roots in society. The first step toward achieving a “solution” to the Afghanistan “problem” is to have a clear-eyed view of what is really driving it.
I spent my twenties and thirties travelling – for work and for pleasure – all over the world, in over a hundred countries. As a soldier, and later as a security consultant, I found myself in a lot of war zones and very remote places that people don’t often get to see. What struck me most profoundly about all of these places I visited were the people, and how they found ways to understand their circumstances, and survive or even thrive in the most difficult situations imaginable. When I started writing seriously in my forties, I was drawn to stories that were either rooted in or inspired by my experiences in conflict zones. READ MORE
Virtual Launch Party
My upcoming book, “Blood Washing Blood: Afghanistan’s Hundred-Year War” will launch on 28 April, and I’d love you to join me. I’ll speak about my Afghan experiences that led me to write the book, share a photo-essay of buzkashi matches in Northern Afghanistan, and screen a short film, “The Afghan Bruce Lee.” Signed copies will be available exclusively through the launch party.
