SEEDS OF TERROR How Heroin Is Bankrolling the Taliban and Al Qaeda

Author Gretchen Peters's 10 years of on-the-ground research and immersion in the cultures of Afghanistan and Pakistan are evident in her depth of knowledge regarding the Taliban and its developing interconnections with Al Qaeda. Both are experiencing a strong and sinister resurgence based less on religion and ideology than on the huge profits of the heroin trade. Narrator Laural Merlington is a particularly apt choice. Her mature, steady voice is totally credible as she presents the straightforward and detailed picture Peters creates. The author’s clear writing, coupled with Merlington's clear delivery, allows the listener to absorb the complexities and implications of an emerging narco-state that is aligned with a terrorist movement. This is a particularly timely text, well written and well presented, fascinating and frightening—a definite must-read. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2009]