The Taliban revival : violence and extremism on the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier / Hassan Abbas.

Includes bibliographical references.

Contents: Introduction: Setting the scene—"Intruders are always unwelcome" : Pashtun identity, culture and political history—Enter at Your Own Risk : Tribes and troubles on Pakistan’s unruly Pashtun frontier (1947/2001)—Holy warriors of an unholy war : the Afghan Jihad and the chaotic rise of the Taliban (1979/2001)—Goodbye Taliban? The "Gift of Democracy" for a new Afghanistan—Setting the stage for the Taliban revival in Afghanistan : the role of sanctuaries in Pakistan’s FATA—Islamabad under siege : Red Mosque vigilantes, protesting lawyers and Musharraf versus Bhutto—The Battle for the soul of Pakistan : the loss of the Swat Valley and the rise of the Pakistani Taliban—The political economy of Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan : Opium, crime and development funds—Empowering the Taliban revival? Impact of local politics, regional rivalries and drone strikes—Conclusion : Hubris and lack of vision versus hope and prospects for reform.

"In autumn 2001, U.S. and NATO troops were deployed to Afghanistan to unseat the Taliban rulers, repressive Islamic fundamentalists who had lent active support to Osama bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda jihadists. The NATO forces defeated and dismantled the Taliban government, scattering its remnants across the country. But despite a more than decade-long attempt to eradicate them, the Taliban endured--regrouping and reestablishing themselves as a significant insurgent movement. Gradually they have regained control of large portions of Afghanistan even as U.S. troops are preparing to depart from the region. In his authoritative and highly readable account, author Hassan Abbas examines how the Taliban not only survived but adapted to their situation in order to regain power and political advantage. Abbas traces the roots of religious extremism in the area and analyzes the Taliban’s support base within Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas. In addition, he explores the roles that Western policies and military decision making--not to mention corruption and incompetence in Kabul--have played in enabling the Taliban’s return to power"—Provided by publisher.

English