Table of Contents

• Preface
• 1. Introduction
• 2. The nature of Afghanistan
• 3. The Mujahidin
• 4. The warriors of God
• 5. The Taliban creed
• 6. Earlier Islamic movements
• 7. The Afghan Islamic tradition
• 8. The gender policies of the Taliban
• 9. The dialogue with the humanitarian agencies
• 10. The Taliban and the international community 11. The Taliban and Pakistan
• 12. The Taliban and the wider region
• 13. Osama bin Laden
• 14. Conclusion

About the Author

Peter Marsden has worked for the last 13 years as a specialist on aid to Afghanistan and has provided information to aid agencies, donor governments, the media and academics on the political, economic and humanitarian context in the country. He has conducted extensive research both in and out of Afghanistan over many years and has a specialist knowledge of the rapidly changing sequence of events since the Soviet withdrawal of February 1989.

Reviews

‘Provides Western policy makers with a less sensationalised and more objective account of the Taliban and how best to deal with them.’
Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, Director of The Muslim Institute, London

‘Deserves attention as a first study of an Islamic phenomenon which is repressive in its social and racial policies, and as hostile to Western, as it is to Communist, values.’
Hugh Carless, former British Ambassador to Afghanistan

‘Particularly good on the equivocal role played by the Americans.’
The Sunday Telegraph

‘An objective and immensely informative account.... Highly recommended.’
Jonathan Fryer, The Liberator