Overview
The Taliban are a Muslim maximalist political movement, dedicated to the installation of Sharia law through violent means in the Middle East. Founded in 1994 they quickly spread across the nation of Afghanistan to become one of the dominant Muslim terror groups in the Islamic world. Gaining control of the Afghan government in 1996, they immediately installed and brutally enforced Islamic law. Whilst in government the Taliban were subject to international condemnation by the United Nations for their poor treatment of civilians. They denied UN food supplies to 160,000 starving civilians, destroyed fertile land and removed thousands of others from their homes. This action forced many to flee the nation to bordering states such as Pakistan and Iran. They remained in power until 2001 when they were forcefully removed by NATO troops after providing refuge to Osama Bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks and refusing to stop the poor treatment of their civilians.
The origin and history of the group
The Taliban originated from the Mujahedeen in Northern Pakistan who fought during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. Though the Soviets found some support from the country’s intellectual elites “Soviet atheism and contempt for religion no matter how well cosmeticized to an Afghan audience, became tropes of the anti-Soviet insurgency”[1]. This motivated many to rebel against the Soviet invasion and look to foreign powers for aid. Seizing the opportunity, the United States and Pakistan supplied weaponry and training to the Afghan resistance, militarizing the local populace, with the hope of weakening their rivals Soviets armed forces. With the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989, the Soviets left a weak proxy communist government. The Mujahedeen sensing the opportunity to seize power surrounded the capital, Kabul and overthrew the soviet government. Though they failed to agree on their terms of rule, leading to the group dividing up into several factions. The Taliban emerged as the strongest of these factions, gaining power and support from Pakistan, due to their religious and ethnic ties. In 1994 they chose them as a private military firm to defend their Asian trade routes. Pakistan provided weapons, military support and financial backing to the Taliban, enabling them to gain control of several Afghan cities and ultimately take control of the capital in 1996. They gained further support from the local populace and most importantly Osama Bin Laden who relocated to Afghanistan following the Taliban’s public condemnation of the Saudi monarchy for allowing NATO troops to operate in Saudi Arabia. The Taliban gave Bin Laden asylum and allowed him to recruit militants and open and operate training camps. The UN passed two resolutions UNSCR 1267 (1999) and 1333 (2000), asking the Taliban to hand over Bin Laden and stop their current actions. They chose to ignore both of the UN, leading NATO to bomb Taliban strategic military sites, leading the Taliban to consequently lose control of the Afghan capital Kabul and lose power in 2001.
[1] Silinsky, Mark. The Taliban: Afghanistan's Most Lethal Insurgents. (Praeger, 2014) pg. 19 |
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The Taliban and Afghanistan post 2001
In 2001 with the fall of the Taliban’s regime in Afghanistan and the subsequent removal of Sharia law as official government legislation, Afghanistan has come to modernise and westernise substantially in the past decade. During their rule “The Taliban religious militia shut down more than 100 private schools on June 16, 1998. These schools were educating thousands of girls in defiance of the Taliban’s ban of education on girls[1]”. By 2001 no women were permitted to enter any form of education, whilst only 1 million boys were enrolled. However with the removal of the Taliban from power, by 2012 there were 7.8 million pupils attending school, including 2.9 million girls. The standard of living has also increased, with life expectancy growing from 55-60 and infant mortality rates dropping significantly with most children now making it above the age of 5. Many citizens who fled the country during the Taliban’s occupation repatriated with 6 million refugees returning. Though even though there have been significant gains, the Taliban still holds a strong presence in the area. Regrouping in Pakistan, the Taliban have refined their tactics and become increasingly difficult for NATO troops to control. Coupled with the winding down of NATO's involvement in the area, the Taliban have had resurgence in power. The civilian casualty toll in the first six months of 2013 rose by 23 percent compared to 2012. Many leading religious and military academics alike have come to question the persistence of the Taliban and their unwillingness to stop fighting. Juergensmeyer a scholar of religious warfare sees what he dubs ‘cosmic war’, because they “are larger than life. They evoke great battles of the legendary past; and they relate to metaphysical conflicts between good and evil[2]”. Stating that they believe they are fighting against what they see as a truly evil foe that they must eliminate through jihadist means, in order to secure salvation and political control. Despite the Taliban’s continued resilience, leading world political figures continue to assert that the Taliban have been weakened enough to prevent them from regaining power in the Afghan region. NATO also claim that the Afghan military have now reached the level necessary to defend themselves against the Taliban, prompting NATO to continue its policy of demilitarising the area.
[1] Gohari, M. J. The Taliban: Ascent to Power. Karachi: (Oxford University Press, 2000) pg. 98
[2] M, Juergensmeyer The logic of religious violence pg. 149
[1] Gohari, M. J. The Taliban: Ascent to Power. Karachi: (Oxford University Press, 2000) pg. 98
[2] M, Juergensmeyer The logic of religious violence pg. 149
Additional reading
Book description
The Taliban are yet another manifestation of the growth of radical Islam worldwide. This book explores what they stand for and the factors leading to their rapid rise to military and political dominance over Afghanistan. It considers the many influences on their ideology emanating from within the country, the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East. It describes the war which continues to afflict the Afghan people as well as the geo-political context and the possible part played by certain powers in the region, and by the United States, in the Taliban’s dramatic expansion. Peter Marsden examines the unique and complicated character of an Islamic revivalist movement like the Taliban. He confronts the issue of international responsibility in situations of chronic conflict brought on by external interference, and considers the dilemmas faced by humanitarian agencies in seeking to reconcile the evident need for assistance with the often difficult political and human rights context in which they are working. He examines the cultural conflict between Western thinking and the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic values, particularly in relation to gender, and asks how the international community should deal with this conflict.
The Taliban are yet another manifestation of the growth of radical Islam worldwide. This book explores what they stand for and the factors leading to their rapid rise to military and political dominance over Afghanistan. It considers the many influences on their ideology emanating from within the country, the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East. It describes the war which continues to afflict the Afghan people as well as the geo-political context and the possible part played by certain powers in the region, and by the United States, in the Taliban’s dramatic expansion. Peter Marsden examines the unique and complicated character of an Islamic revivalist movement like the Taliban. He confronts the issue of international responsibility in situations of chronic conflict brought on by external interference, and considers the dilemmas faced by humanitarian agencies in seeking to reconcile the evident need for assistance with the often difficult political and human rights context in which they are working. He examines the cultural conflict between Western thinking and the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic values, particularly in relation to gender, and asks how the international community should deal with this conflict.
Book description
For many Westerners, Islam appears to contradict democratic values, yet these perceptions result from the characterization of certain Islamic movements as "radical" or "fundamentalist." This book describes one such movement that has been condemned in the West: the Taliban in Afghanistan. Shedding light on their doctrine, it analyzes the rise of the Taliban and their effect on Afghan society, their impact on Afghanistan's neighbors, and their troubled relationship with the United Nations. It concludes with a short chapter on the life and views of Bin Laden, an elusive radical who has famously and brutally translated his beliefs into action
For many Westerners, Islam appears to contradict democratic values, yet these perceptions result from the characterization of certain Islamic movements as "radical" or "fundamentalist." This book describes one such movement that has been condemned in the West: the Taliban in Afghanistan. Shedding light on their doctrine, it analyzes the rise of the Taliban and their effect on Afghan society, their impact on Afghanistan's neighbors, and their troubled relationship with the United Nations. It concludes with a short chapter on the life and views of Bin Laden, an elusive radical who has famously and brutally translated his beliefs into action
Book description
Battle hardened, tribally oriented, and deeply committed to its cause, the Taliban has proven itself resourceful, adaptable, and often successful. As such, the Taliban presents a counterinsurgency puzzle for which the United States has yet to identify effective military tactics, information operations, and Coalition developmental policies. Written by one of the Department of the Army's leading intelligence and military analysts on the Taliban, this book covers the group's complete history, including its formation, ideology, and political power, as well as the origins of its current conflict with the United States. The work carefully analyzes the agenda, capabilities, and support base of the Taliban; forecasts the group's likely course of action to retake Afghanistan; and details the Coalition forces' probable counterinsurgency responses. Author Mark Silinsky also reviews the successes and failures of the latest U.S. counterinsurgency doctrine to extrapolate the best strategies for future counterinsurgency campaigns. |
Articles on the Taliban
BBC: Who are the Taliban?
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-11451718
CFR: A history of the Taliban in Afghanistan
http://www.cfr.org/afghanistan/taliban-afghanistan/p10551
Encyclopedia: History of the Taliban
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Taliban.aspx
BBC: Who are the Taliban?
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-11451718
CFR: A history of the Taliban in Afghanistan
http://www.cfr.org/afghanistan/taliban-afghanistan/p10551
Encyclopedia: History of the Taliban
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Taliban.aspx