Looking for the Enemy
Mullah Omar and the Unknown Taliban
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Looking for the Enemy
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Narrated by:
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Melita Cameron-Wood
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By:
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Bette Dam
About this listen
'Bette Dam was one of the very few Western journalists to gain real access to the Taliban movement' - The Guardian
'Bette Dam's biography/hunt for the truth behind the figure of Mullah Omar will change everything you thought you know about Afghanistan.' - Victor Blue, fellow at the New America Foundation, photographer for The New York Times
'Bette Dam is the most knowledgeable scholar on Mullah Omar.' - Carter Malkasian, former adviser to American military commanders in Afghanistan
'Dam's richly detailed study, based on years spent tracking the Taliban as an investigative journalist, exposes many of the inner workings of the group and highlights how little the West truly understands about how the movement functions.' - Foreign Affairs
'Bette Dam is one of the most talented researchers I know.' - Anand Gopal, author of Pulitzer-nominated No Good Men Among the Living
For twenty years, the Taliban was the number one enemy of Western forces in Afghanistan. But it was an enemy that they knew little about, and about whose founder and leader, Mullah Omar, they knew even less.
Armed with only a fuzzy black-and-white photo of the man, investigative journalist Bette Dam decided to track down the reclusive Taliban chief a decade back. But in the course of what had seemed an almost impossible job, she got to know the Taliban inside out, realized how dangerously misinformed the global forces fighting it were, and made a startling discovery about the elusive Omar's whereabouts.
The outcome of a five-year-long pursuit, Looking for the Enemy is a woman journalist's epic story that takes the listener deep into the dangerous mountains and war-ravaged valleys of Afghanistan as it throws up several unknowns about an organization that is now once again at the helm in one of the world's most fragile states.
©2022 Bette Dam (P)2022 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Looking for the Enemy
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Yvonne Ridley
- 30-04-22
Compelling read on the world’s most elusive leader
Superb, well researched book revealing many new strands into the secret life of the woods most wanted man.
Bette Dam refuses to swallow the propaganda & false narrative as put out by those with an agenda of their own.
Turns out the enigmatic spiritual leader of the Taliban was never educated in the madrasahs of the old NWFP territory of Pakistan nor did he die in Pakistan.
It seems while numerous intelligence agencies tried & failed to track down the elusive one eyed leader he was hiding all along in walking distance of a U.S. military camp in Kandahar frequented by special forces.
This is a heroic read by a journalist who fearlessly pursued the truth by following in the footsteps of a man who was so secretive in life, the world didn’t find out about his death until two years later.
Loved the narration by Melisa Cameron-Wood. The whole book made a long car journey to London & back fly quickly by.
Even if you’re not interested in Afghan politics, this is a thrilling adventure story based on a journalist determined to pursue the truth regardless of the very real risks in a volatile country plunged into a futile 20 year conflict & US occupation.
Thank you Bette Dam for refusing to be spoon fed in a world infected by lazy and flawed journalism.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Christopher Goodenough
- 15-07-22
Interesting story from a committed journalist
This is a story that deserves more exposure. However the mocking almost-Indian accent adopted by the narrator when quoting Afghans was strange and distracting, but then again I have Indian heritage and work with Afghans on a daily basis and others might not mind so much. Post-production was poor as well. I'm still happy it's here to get more exposure as an interesting and unorthodox account of the Afghan conflict.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 06-07-22
Impeccable research, poor performance
Credit to Bette for her extensive research. Although, performer sounded immature. Painful to listen to.
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1 person found this helpful