Mike, an American diplomat, struggles to understand the societies and cultures of Peshawar, Pakistan and Kabul, Afghanistan where he lives and works. He encounters customs and practices and ways of thinking and acting that are different from those of his native land. Troublingly, some of these differences create dark and tragic situations, leaving him wondering about the nature of humanity. Centuries of warfare in the region have led to a kind of tolerance of terrorism and the US-led war against it. Mike learns how easily people accept, deal with, and participate with both warring sides. Finally, he discovers that his fellow American diplomats can be as embarrassing and even as tragic as the Peshawri and Kabuli people--something he hadnt expected.
