Afghanistan, or Land of the Afghan, as it is known by its people, is a mountainous land-locked country in Central Asia. Though only slightly smaller than Texas, Afghanistan is estimated to have a population of around 21-26 million people. Its history and culture can be traced back over 5000 years. Afghanistan is home for four major ethnic groups: the Pashtoons, Tajiks, Hazaras, and the Uzbeks, with the majority of Afghans belonging to the Islamic faith. In 1979, Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet Union–10 years later, the Soviet Union was forced to withdraw by anti-communist forces that had been trained and equipped by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and other nations. Following the 1989 withdrawal of the Soviets, there emerged a highly secretive and heavily armed group of Sunni Muslim fundamentalist known as the Taliban. Since that day, the Taliban has seized most of the country and represented a very troubling development of Islamic radicalism.
Even though the Taliban, and their current leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, have declared themselves the legitimate government of Afghanistan; the United Nations stills recognizes the government of Burhanuddin. Only three nations, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates recognize the Taliban and their leader as the legitimate government. The Taliban first came to the attention of the rest of the world in 1994, when Pakistan recruited them to protect their trade convoys. After the capturing of the Afghan capital of Kabul in 1996 and, by 1998, virtually eliminating their only opposition, the Northern Alliance; the Taliban have seized and controlled over two-thirds of Afghanistan. Most recently, the Taliban have been known for their campaign to wide out the Shiite Muslims and for the harboring of the international terrorist and criminal mastermind Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.
The Term Paper on Afghanistan-Taliban and Their Downfall
AFGHANISTAN-TALIBAN AND THEIR DOWNFALL 5. Geo-Strategic Importance of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is Central Asia’s land locked country, spread over an area of 253, 861 miles. Bordered on the North by the Republics of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, North-East by the Chinese province of Sinkiang, on the South-East by Pakistan, and on the West by Iran. Afghanistan’s geopolitical importance ...
As Sunni Muslims, the Taliban have been able to suppress all other ethnic groups–one of these groups is the Shiite Muslims. Shiite Muslims account for about 15 percent of the world’s Muslims. Shiites can be found throughout the world, not only are they the dominate ethnic group in Iran, but they are also found throughout Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. One major conflict between the Sunni and the Shiites is the Shiite Muslims insist that a true leader of Islam must be a descendant of Ali. This lack of respect for each other has caused must dissention and hatred between the two groups. The Shiites are considered to be much more organized and have a more clerical political system than the Sunni Islam. Before September 11, and the bombings of the two world trade centers, Shiites Muslims made up a large majority of what is now known as the Northern Alliance; an Islamic rebel group that has opposed the Taliban and their taking over of Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance has control of only the very desolate and mountainous northern portion of Afghanistan.
Osama bin Laden is both one of the CIA’s most wanted men and a hero to many young people in the Arab world. He has been sought after by the US for charges of his involvement in international terrorism to include: the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing, the 1996 killing of 19 US soldiers in Saudi Arabia, the 1998 bombings of American embassies in Africa, last years attack on the USS Cole in Yemen, and most recently, the September 11 hijackings, attacks on the two World Trade Centers and Pentagon. Osama bin Laden’s ties to the Taliban range from the establishment and funding of terrorist training camps throughout Afghanistan to be being the mastermind behind the September 11 attacks on the US. The US State Department has called him “one of the most significant sponsors of Islamic extremist activities in the world today.”
The Essay on The Taliban 2
Afghanistan has had a rough past few decades due to the Taliban, who also call themselves a “political movement group. ” The Taliban has made Afghanistan a very cruel place to live because of all the violence and ways the Taliban has changed the Afghanistan culture. The Taliban made the country a very scary place to live, as they also have access to many weapons they use to keep themselves a ...
Besides the accounts of widespread corruption and harboring of Osama bin Laden–the Taliban rulers have drawn much attention to themselves from human rights groups and governments around the world. The Taliban, whose name in Arabic means “seeker of truth”, have banned television, dance, film, photography, kite-flying, and non-religious music. Other activities that the Taliban have declared to be against the Islamic law include: woman working and driving, statues, stuffed toys, the Internet, computer disc, musical instruments, cassettes, playing cards, neckties, woman’s makeup, fireworks, and anything made with human hair. Most disturbing is the denial of woman to work or attend school and that they must be covered from head to toe when outside their homes. Since female doctors can no longer practice and male doctors have been restricted from seeing or touching female patients, access to medical care for woman has been severely restricted. Islamic scholars have called the Taliban’s interpretations of the Islamic law “a described as gross distortions of the law.”
The false and distorted application of the Islamic law by the Taliban has become very apparent since 1994. This has become even more relevant with the ceasing of food relief programs in Afghanistan by the United Nations. Not only does the United Nations question which group should hold Afghanistan’s seat in the United Nations council, but also why the Taliban continues to harbor known terrorist. One of the largest issues the United Nations is concerned with is the fact that Afghanistan has become the world’s largest illicit opium producer–surpassing Burma, which was considered the largest producer until 1999. Other issues such as an over whelming increase in the number of heroin-processing laboratories being identified in the country, as well as major political groups profiting from the sale and profits of the illegal drug trade. Taliban fighters are believed to be armed, fed, and paid with the moneys that are made through this ever-increasing drug trade.
Until September 11, the question was who could possibly challenge the Taliban and its stronghold on Afghanistan’s people. With the Northern Alliance only receiving little backing from Iran, Russia and India; the chance of toppling the Taliban without a considerable sponsor would seem impossible. So far, the Northern Alliance has managed to keep the Taliban out the northern providences. Since September 11, and the involvement of the US, its allies, and the Northern Alliance, the Taliban’s days of wide spread corruption and control of Afghanistan have been numbered. The United States considers the Northern Alliance its best hope and key force in its war against the Taliban; President Bush named the Alliance as his vanguard against Afghanistan’s Taliban government. According to The Associated Press–the United States has begun a campaign of arming and training the Northern Alliance in support of its fight against the Taliban.
The Essay on Northern Alliance Afghanistan Talks King
... based government based on the will of the people of Afghanistan,' ' the northern alliance delegation leader You nus Qanooni said. However, the ... where delegates met, about 30 Afghan women rallied for greater rights in their country, where the Taliban stripped away nearly all women's ... two decades of war. While the Afghans are meeting, the United States, Russia and neighbors such as Pakistan and Iran are ...
Since the United State’s declaration of war on terrorism, the Taliban and Osama bin Laden have been number one on the US’s hit list. On October 7, 2001, the United States and the United Kingdom began a punishing campaign of aerial bombing, missile attacks, and special forces commando missions against the Taliban. Since the attacks began, numerous US soldiers have been injured and 9 soldiers have been killed. The Taliban, though viewed as untrained and uneducated, have proven to be a formable force against the US and its allies. Years of fighting in its countries own civil war has created an environment of desperation; many Taliban fighters have given their lives as suicide bombers and most continuing fighting to their death.
On 13 November 2001, the attacks brought by the joint forces of the US, its allies and the Northern Alliance were responsible for the fall and recapture of the capital, Kabul. By 25 November 2001, the last Taliban strongholds in Konduz had fallen to the Northern Alliance. It is believed that American and British special forces are on the ground in Afghanistan, working together with the Northern Alliance to search and destroy any remaining strongholds of the Taliban. Some of the last known Taliban fighters have been flushed into the eastern Shah-i-Kot Mountains of Afghanistan; Operation Anaconda is the code name of the last main effort to drive out all Taliban from Afghanistan. The operation concentrates on flushing the enemy north through the Shah-i-Kot valley, where American and Northern Alliance troops wait. The end of the Taliban rule over Afghanistan has already been felt by its people; woman have unveiled and no longer afraid to leave their homes, children are no longer afraid to run and play in the streets, the way of life that the people of Afghanistan distantly remember is slowly returning.
The Essay on Taliban Afghanistan Government Country
... a political force and eventually seized power. The Taliban were able to capture 90% of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds ... in 1978 when the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan laughed a coup and took over the government. Opposition ... of the opposition following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks forced the group's downfall. In late 2001, major leaders from ...
