This book describes the turbulent political history of Afghanistan from the communist upheaval of the 1970s through to the aftermath of the events of 11 September 2001. It reviews the importance of the region to external powers and explains why warfare and instability have been endemic. The author analyses in detail the birth of the Taliban and the bloody rise to power of fanatic Islamists, including Osama bin Laden, in the power vacuum following the withdrawal of US aid. Looking forward, Nojumi explores the ongoing quest for a third political movement in Afghanistan - an alternative to radical communists or fanatical Islamists and suggests the support that will be neccessary from the international community in order for such a movement to survive.

About the Author
NEAMATOLLAH NOJUMI, who was raised in Afghanistan, was a participant in the Mujahideen fight against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. A frequent speaker on the politics of Afghanistan, he has appeared on or consulted with major television news shows. He is currently at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Medford, MA.

Reviews

'The Rise of the Taliban is indispensable reading for people wishing to understand Afghanistan's socio-economic landscape and bloody history since the 1979 Soviet invasion. Nojumi is ideally positioned to provide the context critical to understanding the obstacles and opportunities ahead in achieving peace for Afghanistan.' - Ambassador Peter Thomsen, former Special Envoy to the Afghan Resistance

'Woven into this history of abortive state-building is the constant of multifacted outside intervention...' - Foreign Affairs

'This book is essential reading for anyone curious about the Taliban's presence in Afghanistan.' - Toronto Globe & Mail

'...an important contribution to our understanding of the globalization of terror, especially its roots in the Afghanistan experience.' - Asian Affairs

'...timely and authentic...[with] details unavailable elsewhere...' - Choice

'The Rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan contains some valuable information and interpretations concerning recent events in Afghanistan.' - M. E. Yapp, Times Literary Supplement

'This book provides a comprehensive historical account and an interesting analysis of Afghanistan's political developments since the 1970s.' - ECPR Newsletter

Book Information
ISBN 9780312295844
Author N. Nojumi
Format Paperback
Page Count 260
Imprint Palgrave Macmillan
Publisher Palgrave USA