In writing this book, Dam interviewed dozens of eyewitnesses, including Karzai's tribesmen, other Afghans, the American commandos who helped Karzai come to power, Taliban members who ultimately 'lost', and diplomats and Afghanistan experts. She also spoke at length with President Karzai himself about his role in the tumultuous months following 11th September, and his belief that the battle for the new Afghanistan would be fought in Uruzgan
Dam concludes that Karzai would not have stood a chance without American support, but that tribal and family ties were crucial to his political future. The conflicts arising from this dynamic still dominated the Dutch agenda in Uruzgan.
Dick Scherpenzeel Prize Jury
"The journalist provides a unique and relealing account of the power struggle between all factions in Afghanistan."
