Magnificent Delusions [Hardcover] by Husain Haqqani

Pakistan’s tryst with the United States of America is one that has always been masked with confusion. There has always been little clarity whether both existed as allies or enemies in their dealings with each other. Written by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Magnificent Delusions deals with the relationship of the two nations from the eyes of a man who knew it best.

Summary of the Book

Haqqani reveals that the USA and Pakistan both had a contorted idea of what an alliance with each other meant. While the USA believed that backing the Pakistani Mujahideen led to Charlie Wilson’s war of Afghan liberation, what really ensued was General Zia-ul-Haq’s machiavellian tactics in play. John Foster Dulles, a US Secretary of State, believed that the British referred to the Pakistanis when they were in fact talking about Ghurkas in calling them the best fighters in the sub-continent. In contrast, Pakistani General Ayub Khan believed that once his men received American weapons, using them on India would not hinder relations with America.

About Husain Haqqani

Husain Haqqani is a former Pakistani Ambassador to the United States from 2008 to 2011.

Haqqani graduated from the University of Karachi and went on to a life in Journalism before his appointment as Ambassador.