The Taliban

For Western observers, there are mysteries surrounding the Taliban. Are they really "Stone Age Islam"? What are their different currents and power centers? Conrad Schetter describes how the movement emerged in Afghanistan after the Soviets' retreat, taking its bearings from international Islamism and the Pashtun code of honor. By the end of 1996, the Taliban had conquered Kabul and were providing al-Qaeda with shelter; they were then swept away in 2001 by the "War on Terror," before quickly reforming politically, medially, and economically, and returning to power in 2021. But competition with the "Islamic State," inner tensions, hardship, protests in Afghanistan, and the pressure being exerted by the West are presenting the new emirate with almost insurmountable challenges.