Our Woman in Kabul

A well written journalists account of Afghanistan in the days and weeks immediately after September 11, 2001. Irris Makler, an Australian freelance journalist, headed into Afghanistan in the first wave of reporters, arriving even before the US military advisers etc.

The book covers a wide range of topics within the setting, from both a professional point of view, but also a personal point of view. For me I think the making of the book is the way the author is prepared to share her insecurities and fears, as well as her relief and triumphs. I think it helps that she is Australian in this, and she doesn't try to come across as a glorious modern explorer breaking ground in a journalistic crusade, which is the unfortunate impression I get from too many of the war-chasing American journalists.

Reporting freelance, (largely for ABC (Australia), RTE (Ireland) and Voice of America, but also for others) Makler doesn't have the financial backing, the infrastructure support or the behind the scenes organisation that the major networks have, making it all the more impressive that she remained in the first few reporters in each stage of the movement from Tajikistan to Khoja Bahauddin (Northern Afghanistan), then, following the Taliban retreat to Kabul. Through her friendship and camaraderie she is assisted greatly by NBC, who she shares a house with, and often is able to secure travel arrangements with - although there are others who go out of their way to help her too.

Overall, the book comes across as honest and is a good balanced view of a complex situation, where the Northern Alliance are not necessarily the solution to all the issues established by the Taliban they are fighting. With so many defections of senior military leaders from the Taliban to the Northern Alliance, (unsurprising considering the number of persons in the past who repeatedly changed sides from the Mujahideen to the Taliban and vice versa), it has the feel of one set of hardline oppressors being replaced by a similar set, although less hardline. There are several pages of sources listed at the end, so there is little doubt this is a well researched and factual approach to a book of this type.

Obviously at the time of this book Bin Laden was still at large, and there was little factual information available on his whereabouts, as he was only found and killed much later. He received many mentions in the book, and I think this adds legitimacy to the book that the mentions are identified as rumour and opinion.

From the first paragraph of the Introduction, I enjoyed the writing in this book:
“This is the best Kabul has to offer - a huge empty house with blocked toilets and a bomb in the kitchen. We didn't know about the bomb when we moved in, of course, and initially the owner pretends he doesn't either. But afterwards he says he told us all about it, like it was a feature of the house: there's your downstairs toilet, your double garage,, your concierge, and your guided missile in the pantry. He's indignant when we want to move out. Welcome to Kabul.”