This book examines the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan and analyzes its connections to the Pakistan Army's policies and fluctuating U.S.-Pakistan relations. It includes profiles of leading Pakistani Jihadi groups with details of their origins, development, and capabilities based on interviews with Pakistani intelligence officials and militant leaders.

The book contains new historical materials on Operation Gibraltar (the 1965 War with India), the conspiracy behind General Zia-ul-Haq's plane crash in 1988, a botched military coup by fundamentalists in 1993-4, and on how General Musharraf handled the volatile situation after the 9/11 attacks. In addition to a detailed profile of General Musharraf, the book evaluates India-Pakistan relations vis--vis the Kashmir conflict as well as Dr. A. Q. Khan's nuclear proliferation crisis, and also offers predictions for Pakistan's domestic and regional prospects.