I just finished reading Sarah Chayes' Amazon.com: The Punishment of Virtue: Inside Afghanistan After the Taliban: Sarah Chayes: Books.

It was a fascinating read to see how this former NPR reporter "embedded" herself within Afghan society and was able to form friendships with high ranking members of the Afghan government and serve as a go between with these members. Additionally, the book revealed the severe challenges that Afghanistan faces as it tries to move forward with government, government that has to appeal and include several ethnicities and prominent tribes, all the while, many of the warlord leaders of these tribes seek to use government as a means to enrich and empower themselves.

Overall, I'd recommend it as a must read for anyone interested in Afghanistan. However, I don't know of a book that would serve as a good counterpoint to her viewpoints, and so I don't want to give the impression that her way is the right way.

Some more links about both her and her work can be found below:

SarahChayes.net
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=5690769
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=5690902
'Lower your sights' is the wrong vision for Afghanistan - Los Angeles Times