Magnificent Delusions

Pakistan, the United States, and an Epic History of Misunderstanding

By: Husain Haqqani

Narrated by: Ralph Lister

Length: 14 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

A character-driven history that describes the bizarrely ill-suited alliance between America and Pakistan, written by a uniquely insightful participant: Pakistan's former ambassador to the US.

The relationship between America and Pakistan is based on mutual incomprehension, and always has been. Pakistan - to American eyes - has gone from being a stabilizing friend to an essential military ally to a seedbed of terror. America - to Pakistani eyes - has been a guarantee of security, a coldly distant scold, an enthusiastic military supplier and ally, and now a threat to national security and a source of humiliation.

In their sixty-five year relationship, one country has become a global superpower, the other perilously close to a failed state - perhaps one of the most dangerous places in the world.

Husain Haqqani has a unique insight into Pakistan, hishomeland, and America, where he was the Pakistani ambassador and is now a professor at Boston University. His life has mapped the relationship of Pakistan and America, and he has found himself often close to the heart of it - sometimes in very confrontational circumstances, even under house arrest - which has allowed him to write the story of the two countries' turbulent affair, here memorably laid bare.

©2013 Hussani Haqqani (P)2013 Blackstone Audiobooks

It it Delusions or Sleeping with the Enemy

Any additional comments?

I opted to read this book with some skepticism - bordering prejudice - because of the author's switching sides between the two major polarized political parties of Pakistan. Not just that, he orchestrated his career so well that he enjoyed an ambassadorial position with each of the government in power. His standing was further compromised for his alleged involvement in writing a letter to Admiral Mullen to save Pakistan's democracy. I must hasten to add though that by the time I finished this book I was convinced that Mr. Haqqani wrote this book objectively and did not let his personal political life and ambitions eclipse writing about the thorny subject of US-Pakistan relationship.

I read (rather listened) this book for the very purpose of learning more about this sensitive relationship between the two countries that keeps swinging between the two extremes. Mr. Haqqani did a very good job by narrating this long saga (from 1947 to date) with details, facts and research. It sounds true and accurate and I find no reasons to suspect otherwise.
This comment is not a reflection on the book but I felt deeply embarrassed and belittled reading that Pakistan picked up the begging bowl right from its inception and never made a sincere effort to let go off it. Even the previous President, Mr. Zardari, was singing the same song – this time under the tune of a Marshall Plan. I wonder if the author, then an ambassador in US, had anything to orchestrate its melody. An irony again that after more half a century Pakistan and US relationship remains uncertain as ever, in that, they are neither trustworthy friends nor arch rivals.

This comment is essentially about its audio book version. I am not sure if the audio book version was somewhat flawed in the chronology but a few events narrated seemed out of calendar sequence. Also the narration itself lacked in energy and style, hence provided for rather monotonous listening.

The book however has to be judged for the quality and accuracy of its content and it scores high marks on that score.

Great book overall.

Although I personally don't like the author but this is a well-researched book and lays out history of delusions from both sides in a very interesting manner, explaining the basis of many conspiracy theories rampant in Pakistan.
It is well-written and well-narrated.

Engaging but biased

Would you listen to Magnificent Delusions again? Why?

Provides a brief overview of the relationship between India and Pakistan over the years.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The story gets more engaging when the author becomes a first hand witness to events.

What about Ralph Lister’s performance did you like?

Overall good with some minor issues with pronouncing Pakistani names correctly

Any additional comments?

The book has a lot of substance and devotes adequate amount time to each phase in the history. It would've been better if the author laid emphasis on the dates a tad more.

The author however clearly has an American bias. He portrays them as innocent and sometimes even naive in dealing with the Pakistani deception. One can't give clean chit to the US for its involvement in the affairs of other countries.

Informative but perhaps a bit biased

Pakistan is made the villain in this book. Interpretation is quite biased. Book tells a story of US being naive and constantly being fooled by the Pakistanis. Writer's biases come out given his personal experiences with the Pakistani government and military.

PAKISTAN AND U.S. RELATIONS

Husain Haqqani, in “Magnificent Delusions”, recounts the history of Pakistan and its troubled relationship with the United States and India. Haqqani explains how nations act with delusion and misunderstanding. Ethnic diversity within nations makes speaking with one voice impossible. Consequent delusions and misunderstandings between nations foment arms escalation and international conflict.

Diplomatic policy and action are a reflection of what leaders can do within the framework of their respective governments and cultures. Haqqani infers that delusion and misunderstanding correlate with cultural ignorance; an ignorance that is endemic in nation-to-nation communication.

Haqqani was imprisoned for his efforts to remove the veil of obfuscation between the United States and Pakistan. He was eventually released by the Pakistani court system and allowed to leave Pakistan. “Magnificent Delusions” is a sad tale of a hard road Pakistan travels. It is a frightening explanation of growing terrorist potential of a country riven by social, economic, and ethnic conflict.

An ambassador that understands the culture of a country he/she is sent to is the greatest protection from delusion and misunderstanding between host and sponsor countries. “Magnificent Delusions” is an excellent primer for aspiring ambassadors.

Showing a mirror

Mr. Haqqani’s book is an eye opener for any true Pakistani patriot. Forget all the lies you have been told and push for representative government that reflects the will of the common people, not the mullah or the generals.

A must read!

Ambassador Haqqani has written one of the most candid books on Pakistan’s foreign policy. A must read!

Must read

An eye opener that challenges various myths surrounding the US-Pak relationship over the years. Enjoy.

Mumbling, stumbling, & bumbling foreign relations

70 years of stumbling, grumbling, bumbling, and mumbling. No permanent allies, only permanent interests.

This 2013 history of US/Pakistani relations by former Pakistani Ambassdor to the US Husain Haqqani is darkly comedic because nearly every exchange between US or Pakistani leaders follows this basic script.

"You should give us aid. We can help you fight the communists/terrorists."
"We're willing to give you military aid to help us fight the communists/terrorists."
"Thank you, finally we'll be able to take on India."
"India? No, we said the communists/terrorists."
"Wha? Sorry, can't hear you. Can we have more aid please?"
"Fiiiiiiine...."

Repeat.

Replacing "communists" with "terrorists" gives us the last 20 years or so of US/Pakistani relations. Haqqani comes to the subject with a little too much technocrat baggage insofar as we get far more excerpts from NYT and WaPo editorials than are really useful or insightful. But where he provides direct records of diplomatic exchanges and notes, "Magnificent Delusions" is a compelling, if not terribly encouraging, history of relations between a superpower and a wannabe regional power - each with wildly divergent interests and intentions.

Tour de Force Pakistan Diplomatic History

Excellent history of US relations with the US, India, Afghanistan since before there was a Pakistan. Sorry to say my knowledge about Pakistan was sketchy. This book clearly and succinctly explains why stirred-up religious fervor mattered and matters, how terrorism (both against the Russians and against India, the US, and Pakistani people) has been a way of life, how the military and intelligence service have used propaganda, conspiracy theories, controlled media, and dictatorships to keep the country in a forever-war mindset, with India and Afghanistan as forever-enemies. Bright spots: did not appreciate how central Pakistan was in brokering US-China rapprochement, or how central Pakistan was in bringing about Soviet defeat in Afghanistan (and end of the Cold War). Thankfully the author has done his research and presents his proof convincingly. This should be required reading for US diplomats, as well as Russian, Chinese, Afghan, and Indian diplomats who need to be able to keep peace (or at least avoid nuclear war) in the areas heavily influenced by Pakistan.

Completely Biased Narrative

This book was a waste of time, the author is accused of being an American stooge by his own admission. Quite rightly so in my opinion. He had absolutely nothing good to say about a single one of Pakistan’s leaders, and made out USA and it’s secret agencies as if they are the most honest and honourable people around. I suppose he needs his green card the sell out.

Very one sided

The way Mr Haqqani tells it, the U.S were not dissimilar in their innocent naivety to the indigenous Americans when Columbus (in this book played by all Pakistanis to ever deal with the U.S with the exception of himself) landed on their shores. You really feel for the Americans as they trade away all their gold in return for shiny but worthless pieces of glass. I had a lump in my throat each time the young American virgin entered the dark prison cell filled with lascivious Pakistani inmates. Really tough to read.
It was tough for me to read, but I forced myself to read this only as a challenge to find some shred of evidence as to his Pakistani-ness. In the end I found what I was looking for.... right at, literally, the very end. In one of the final sentences he writes he says something about essentially being so critical of Pakistan, for it's own good. Yet, I don't mind him or anyone being critical of Pakistan, only an unreasonable person would be uncritical of Pakistan. All Pakistanis are critical of Pakistan - we can all see it's a mess. But Mr Haqqani is one of those Pakistanis who rues the day Pakistan was created.
Anyway, Mr, Haqqani is entitled to his opinion, but in a professional capacity, to ignore the unhealthy dynamics that have needed to exist to hold Pakistan together and to be utterly unaware of American objectives within the region wrt the Chinese and the Russians, just paint him as incompetent as the rest of the Pakistani leadership. Most leaders of Pakistan have used Pakistan for their own selfish reasons and Mr. Haqqani is no different. The post created a great opportunity for him to secure a good role for himself outside of Pakistan and for the reason of selling this book he had to tailor the message in a way that was more appealing to Westerners. He has obviously left out a lot because aside from a couple of anecdotes, there's nothing in this text that cannnot be found easily on the internet.
Fair play to him for getting what he needs out of it and fair play to Pakistani leaders to get out of the U.S what they needed at the time. And spare a thought for the benevolent superpower, who got fleeced by all the South Americans, the Vietnamese, the Iraqis, the Libyans, the Syrians, the Palestinians.... I mean I'm tearful when I think about it really.

A pretty miserable tale, well told

If you are interested in the story of Pakistan from independence (1947) to the present day (well, 2013) this book provides a wonderful sweep. For me it was one of those excellent books that packages all the snippets of news from my whole life time and groups and organises them into one comprehensible narrative. I'm not able to judge whether M. Haqqani is biased, but he certainly has been in the thick of Pakistani politics for many years (the book gets noticeably more lively once he moves from history to his first hand experiences), but he seems to be able to take a reasonably objective view of American and Pakistan's desires, beliefs, and errors. It is pretty downbeat, overall, delusions and misunderstanding indeed.

Warning - the book is detailed and sometimes seems repetitive (maybe that is history) so you really do have to be interested in the subject to pay attention through 14 hours.

Narrator was perfectly cast. The voice sounds like an educated foreign-office type with slightly Indian intonations. Fourteen hours of genuine Pakistani accented English would have been too tiring for this UK listener.

A very good effort by Husain Haqqani.

its a shame that not many in Pakistan will read or agree with this book.

paakeestaan

maybe I've been saying it wrong my whole life and he's got it right, but I've never heard anyone say Pakistan the way he does and it makes it pretty hard to listen to the book.
I always thought it was pah-kih-stan, but apparently it's actually paa kee staan.

informative, insightful and interesting

Packed with historical background, with cultural and socioeconomic factors/information/explanation, as well as detailed analysis, a well-written book that's worth listening to.

Excellently informative.

full of revelations not only about America and Pakistan's special arrangement but also about the delusion Pakistan has been labouring under since 1947.
Want to know how Pakistan thinks about itself or the rest of the world?
want to know about the double game Pakistan is totally committed to?
look no further.