The Taliban: Afghanistan's Most Lethal Insurgents (Praeger Security International)

Understand the complexities of the most lethal insurgent group of America's longest war—the Taliban. Battle hardened, tribally oriented, and deeply committed to its cause, the Taliban has proven itself resourceful, adaptable, and often successful. As such, the Taliban presents a counterinsurgency puzzle for which the United States has yet to identify effective military tactics, information operations, and Coalition developmental policies. Written by one of the Department of the Army's leading intelligence and military analysts on the Taliban, this book covers the group's complete history, including its formation, ideology, and political power, as well as the origins of its current conflict with the United States. The work carefully analyzes the agenda, capabilities, and support base of the Taliban; forecasts the group's likely course of action to retake Afghanistan; and details the Coalition forces' probable counterinsurgency responses. Author Mark Silinsky also reviews the successes and failures of the latest U.S. counterinsurgency doctrine to extrapolate the best strategies for future counterinsurgency campaigns. Provides insights from an author with academic training in politics and economics as well as a 30-year defense intelligence community background, including serving as an Army analyst in Afghanistan Presents information recently obtained under the Freedom of Information Act Analyzes the tribal, religious, political, and international elements of the greater Taliban problem "Understand the complexities of the most lethal insurgent group of America's longest war--the Taliban. Battle hardened, tribally oriented, and deeply committed to its cause, the Taliban has proven itself resourceful, adaptable, and often successful. As such, the Taliban presents a counterinsurgency puzzle for which the United States has yet to identify effective military tactics, information operations, and Coalition developmental policies. Written by one of the Department of the Army's leading intelligence and military analysts on the Taliban, this book covers the group's complete history, including its formation, ideology, and political power, as well as the origins of its current conflict with the United States. The work carefully analyzes the agenda, capabilities, and support base of the Taliban; forecasts the group's likely course of action to retake Afghanistan; and details the Coalition forces' probable counterinsurgency responses. Author Mark Silinsky also reviews the successes and failures of the latest U.S. counterinsurgency doctrine to extrapolate the best strategies for future counterinsurgency campaigns." -- Publisher's description Resource Added For The Psychology (includes Sociology) 108091 Courses. Foreword / By Raymond Taras -- Preface -- Introduction -- Abbreviations -- Afghanistan's Landscape, People, And Islamism -- Enter The Taliban -- The Taliban In Power -- The Taliban In Defeat -- The Taliban Recover In Pakistan -- The Taliban Improve Their Tactics -- Taliban Inc. -- Affiliated Insurgent Groups And Foreign Sources Of Aid -- The Counterinsurgency In Afghanistan -- Afterword: Dystopia -- Appendix -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index. Mark Silinsky ; Foreword By Raymond Taras. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 247-251) And Index. Foreword by Raymond Taras ix. - Preface xiii. - Introduction xvii. - 1. Afghanistan's Landscape, the People, and Islamism 1. - 2. Enter the Taliban 19. - 3. The Taliban in Power 29. - 4. The Taliban in Defeat 45. - 5. The Taliban's Recovery in Pakistan 81. - 6. The Taliban Improve Their Tactics and Firepower 101. - 7. Taliban Inc. 127. - 8. Affiliated Insurgent Groups and Foreign Connections 137. - 9. The Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan 157. - Afterword: Salafist Dystopia 185. - Appendix: Coalition Military Fatalities by Year 189 Cover Contents Foreword Preface Introduction Abbreviations 1. Afghanistan’s Landscape, the People, and Islamism 2. Enter the Taliban 3. The Taliban in Power 4. The Taliban in Defeat 5. The Taliban’s Recovery in Pakistan 6. The Taliban Improve Their Tactics and Firepower 7. Taliban Inc. 8. Affiliated Insurgent Groups and Foreign Connections 9. The Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan Afterword: Salafist Dystopia Appendix: Coalition Military Fatalities by Year Notes Bibliography Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z Afghanistan is a drama in transition. There is no final act on the horizon. This is a book about the Taliban, which is a multifaceted and ever-changing subject. More specifically, it is a book about the origin, evolution, philosophy, and general game plan of the Taliban. It is also about Coalition Forces' activities to extinguish the insurgency. This requires touching on military science, economics, regional politics, and some history. Above all, this is a book about people.--Résumé de l'éditeur