Who are the Taliban? - The Afghan war deciphered

Who exactly are the Afghan insurgents? Every suicide attack and kidnapping is usually attributed to "the Taliban." In reality, however, the insurgency is far from monolithic. There are the shadowy, kohl-eyed mullahs, head-bobbing religious students, erudite university students, poor, illiterate farmers, and veteran anti-Soviet commanders. The movement is a mélange of nationalists, Islamists, and bandits that fall uneasily into three or four main factions of competing commanders.
Published On:	12/4/2008
Submitted On:	12/6/2008 10:52:57 AM by Picka
Categories:	Wars and Conflicts & Military and Defense

User Comments

Submitted by Picka 1 yr 270 days ago
For those that are gung ho about winning in Afghanistan, I think this article provides a sobering analysis of why it will not happen militarily. We have not learned the lessons of the British and Soviets who were also ousted.

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