Afghanistan
Massoud's military tactics—that successfully fought off five major Soviet offensives—are now studied in most Western military academies on how to fight a successful guerilla campaign. His fight against the Taliban is also well-documented by the likes of Ahmed Rashid. His poetry and French language skills have also always made him a favorite of Western writers on Afghanistan. Yet there are a lot myths and perceptions that have held sway over many observers in the region beyond Afghanistan.