This story is the reflection of Dr. Ibrahimov's analysis based on his own experiences over his first- hand experiences of the end of the Soviet empire, with the last Soviet troops leaving Afghanistan in 1989 and the final demise of the country in the beginning of the 1990s Ibrahimov's background in both the Soviet and US militaries allows him to expertly contrast the Soviet and American experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq. In addition, he offers provocative thoughts on the future course of terrorism and America's wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Across Cultures and Empires, told from the perspective of a Soviet minority, fills important gaps in our knowledge of the post-Soviet reality.