Prologue: mahogany row massacre -- The last diplomats -- American myths -- Lady taliban -- Dick -- The mango case -- The other haqqani network -- Duplicity -- The frat house -- Mission: impossible -- Walking on glass -- Farmer holbrooke -- A little less conversation -- A- rod -- Promise me you'll end the war -- The wheels come off the bus -- The memo -- The real thing -- Shoot first -- Ask questions never -- General rule -- Dostum, he is telling the truth -- And discouraging all lies -- White beast -- The shortest spring -- Midnight at the ranch -- Present at the destruction -- The state of the secretary -- The mosquito and the sword -- Meltdown -- Epilogue: the tool of first resort -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Index.