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dda9's review against another edition
3.0
Very thorough introduction to the Taliban, although somewhat dry in many places. Contains two chapters on oil prospecting in Afghanistan that seemed very long and could have easily been cut down to one chapter.
zezozose_zadfrack_glutz's review against another edition
5.0
This was a very interesting perspective on the Taliban because it was written and published around 2000-early 2001, giving a survey of Central Asian geopolitics that probably hasn't been analyzed in quite the same way since September 11. This book has left me wanting to read more on the history of Pakistan and the ISI, because it introduces so many niche issues, such as the Pakistani trucking cartel and its relationship to the Taliban, or simply the depth of Pakistani involvement in the propping up of the Taliban as a convenient political force in the region. If you learned everything you know about Central Asia after and through the lens of 9/11, this book will really help put the Taliban in a regional and historical context that makes sense. And yet it upends previous assumptions I had, such as just how linear the relationship between the Afghan mujahideen and the Taliban was. Quite a good book, well written and it really helps me trace the origin points for political phenomena in the region that before had me flummoxed.
superike's review against another edition
4.0
Although written more than 20 years ago, this book remains very accurate to this day in understanding what the Taliban are, where they came from, and what's driving them. But as the sub-title indicates, author Ahmed Rashid weaves the history of the Taliban into the history of the Central Asia region because the Taliban doesn't exist in a vaccum and in fact Rashid demonstrates clearly the interplay between Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Central Asian former Soviet republics, the Middle East and the US.
For me, the top 3 important points this book makes are:
1) The Taliban wouldn't have emerged if the civil war following the withdrawal of the Soviet Union from Afghanistant in 1989 didn't happen. They are a nasty, extremist by-product of that civil war.
2) The ideology of the Taliban is entirely foreign to Afghanistan. Historically, the Islam of the various ethnicities that make up Afghanistan has always been far more moderate.
3) It is probable that the Taliban wouldn't have succeeded and wouldn't have had any staying power if not for the significant help and active support from Pakistan, most especially its notorious secret services, the ISI. Pakistan bears a large responsibility for the ongoing mess since the 90s in Afghanistan, because it's been obsessed messing into Afghanistan because of this concept of using the Afghan space as "strategic depth" due to the limited geography of Pakistan in front of its nemesis India. What's crazy is that for Pakistan, supporting the Taliban and their extremist ideology has had tremendous negative consequences on Pakistan's economy, politics and social stability. The extremism of Taliban has spilled over into Pakistan, and still do to this day.
For me, the top 3 important points this book makes are:
1) The Taliban wouldn't have emerged if the civil war following the withdrawal of the Soviet Union from Afghanistant in 1989 didn't happen. They are a nasty, extremist by-product of that civil war.
2) The ideology of the Taliban is entirely foreign to Afghanistan. Historically, the Islam of the various ethnicities that make up Afghanistan has always been far more moderate.
3) It is probable that the Taliban wouldn't have succeeded and wouldn't have had any staying power if not for the significant help and active support from Pakistan, most especially its notorious secret services, the ISI. Pakistan bears a large responsibility for the ongoing mess since the 90s in Afghanistan, because it's been obsessed messing into Afghanistan because of this concept of using the Afghan space as "strategic depth" due to the limited geography of Pakistan in front of its nemesis India. What's crazy is that for Pakistan, supporting the Taliban and their extremist ideology has had tremendous negative consequences on Pakistan's economy, politics and social stability. The extremism of Taliban has spilled over into Pakistan, and still do to this day.
eelsmac's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
3.75
fourtriplezed's review against another edition
5.0
Fascinating. I could not put this book down and would consider it a must read for anyone who has an interest as to the rise of the Taliban and the consequences of the actions of the super powers.
idrees2022's review against another edition
5.0
On re-reading the book after nearly 20 years, I realise that I had been unfairly critical of it in the. It is actually a really good work of reportage. Anything that it lacks in depth it makes up for in the sweep of its historical and political scope. Smart analysis which has been mostly borne out by the years since.