4/9/13
The Taliban
Keyw ord Search
afghanistan
Search Story and Title Text
Search Title Text Only
Guest | Folder Sign-In | Saved Items
Issue Date: January 09, 2006
The Taliban
PRINT
Sort Option For Results List
By Relevance Rank
By Story Date
Optional Date Range (reset)
From:
EMAIL
SAVE
TEXT
Since ICOF last covered the Taliban on May 25, 2001, the Taliban was toppled
from its ruling position in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S.-led invasion
following terrorist attacks against the U.S. September 11, 2001. Although a
U.S.-backed government took control, Taliban fighters still remained able to
conduct some operations in the remoter parts of Afghanistan. Click here for
the latest developments concerning this controversial issue.
To:
Advanced Search
(Search all Databases)
Sidebars
Key Events in the History of the
Taliban
Afghan Women Resist Taliban Rule
Central and South Asia Face Threat
of 'Talibanization'
A Movement Rooted In War
The Taliban Take Over
U.S. Policies Shift
Taliban Sanctions Criticized
Hard Line Receives Support
Finding a New Approach
Bibliography
Additional Sources
Contact Information
Keywords and Points
The Taliban Update
The Taliban: A Partner in the War on
The Taliban, a militia that now controls most of the South
Drugs?
Asian country of Afghanistan, is perhaps one of the world's
By the Numbers: Taliban
most notorious religious groups. Since first gaining
international attention in 1994, the Taliban have waged a war
Related Articles
for control over Afghanistan and the lives of its citizens.
Motivated by extreme beliefs derived from the Islamic religion,
International Terrorism
the Taliban have created a fundamentalist regime under
Sanctions
which civil liberties and human rights have been undermined.
U.S. Response to Terrorism
U.S.-Saudi Relations
U.S.-Pakistan Relations
Afghanistan Policy
The Taliban have long been criticized for restricting the rights
of women, eliminating personal freedoms and terrorizing
suspected political opponents. Many observers also contend
that the Taliban have actively participated in the production of
illegal drugs and turned Afghanistan into a refuge for
international terrorists.
U.S. Troops in Afghanistan
More recently, in March, the Taliban sparked rage among the
international community by destroying two ancient Buddhist
statues carved into the cliffs of the Afghan region of Bamiyan.
Civilian Casualties During Wartime More than 1,000 years old, the statues were considered a
priceless component of Afghanistan's historical and religious
National High School Debate Topic: heritage. Many leaders view the destruction of the statues as
U.S. Military Action in Pakistan
Reducing U.S. Military Presence
Abroad
Negotiating with the Taliban
Key News Events
Key Event: Afghan War Drags On
After Communist Defeat
U.S. Aid Expected to Reach $5.5
Billion (2005)
indicative of the Taliban's dangerous fanaticism.
The Taliban's rise to power is the latest chapter in
Afghanistan's ongoing civil war, a conflict that has persisted
for more than two decades. That conflict, which is the
longest-running civil war of the present day, has pitted
multiple armed factions against one another. In rising to
power, the Taliban have crushed most opposing factions,
although a few opposition groups, such as the Northern
Alliance, continue to exist and put up a violent struggle
against their rule.
AFP
An Afghan refugee woman who has
fled her country and concealed her
identity protests at the National
Assembly in Paris against the
treatment of women under the
Taliban regime, May 2001.
Karzai Elected First President (2004) Combined with a long-standing drought and the Taliban's oppressive policies, Afghanistan's ongoing civil
war has made life unbearable for the country's citizens. During the past year alone, more than 500,000
Afghanistan: U.S. Defense Secretary
www.2facts.com/icof_story.aspx?PIN=i0601110
1/9
4/9/13
The Taliban
war has made life unbearable for the country's citizens. During the past year alone, more than 500,000
Afghanistan: U.S. Defense Secretary Afghan citizens have fled their homes and poured into neighboring countries. The mass exodus has
Visits (2003)
destabilized the region and created a humanitarian crisis of massive proportions.
Afghanistan: U.S. Operations Kill
200 Fighters (2003)
Afghanistan: Violence Kills More
than 50; (2003)
In recent years, the U.S. and other countries have attempted to quell Afghanistan's civil war and force the
Taliban to change their policies. Since 1999, the U.S. and the United Nations (U.N.) have enforced a strict
regime of sanctions aimed at disarming the Taliban and cutting off their interaction with other countries. Also,
even though the Taliban have gained control over most of Afghanistan, the U.S. and U.N. have firmly refused
to recognize them as the legitimate leaders of the country. [See 2000 Sanctions]
Afghanistan: Car Bomb Kills
German Peacekeepers (2003)
Afghanistan: U.S. Announces End of
Major Combat (2003)
Afghanistan: U.S. Forces Kill 18 in
Major Battle (2003)
Afghanistan: Karzai Escapes
Assassination Attempt (2002)
Karzai Named to Head Transitional
Afghan Government (2002)
U.S.-Led Forces Target AfghanistanPakistan Border (2002)
U.S. Concedes 16 Afghans Killed In
Raids Not Taliban or Al Qaeda
(2002)
Provisional Afghan Government
Takes Power as War Effort Wanes
(2001)
Afghan Commanders Claim Victory
Over Al Qaeda Combatants (2001)
Opposition Northern Alliance
Captures Afghan Capital, Kabul,
After Taliban Troops Retreat to
South (2001)
Bush Orders Banks to Freeze
Assets of Suspected Terror
Supporters in Response to Attacks
(2001)
Jeremy Eagle
At present, leaders are divided over whether current policies toward the Taliban are working as intended. Are
economic sanctions the best means of removing the Taliban from power? Are sanctions exacerbating the
effects of Afghanistan's civil war and refugee crisis? Should the U.S. recognize the Taliban as the government
of Afghanistan?
According to some observers, the U.S. and U.N. measures have done nothing to reduce the Taliban's power
and influence. Rather than isolating the group, critics argue, the international community should attempt to
bring peace to Afghanistan by cooperating with Taliban officials. Some observers also insist that the
sanctions regime exacerbates Afghanistan's instability and the plight of its people.
Hijacked Jets Destroy World Trade
Center, Hit Pentagon; 5,000 People
Missing, Presumed Dead; U.S.
Congress Approves Military Action in Yet supporters of sanctions say that they must be maintained in order to dislodge the Taliban and bring
Retaliation for 'Acts of War' (2001)
Afghanistan: Buddhist Statue
Demolition (2001)
stability to Afghanistan and its neighboring countries. Unless the international community stands firm against
the Taliban, they argue, the militia will only continue its violent military campaign. Furthermore, they argue,
giving diplomatic recognition to the Taliban will do nothing to improve the movement's unacceptable attitudes
regarding human rights.
Afghanistan: U.N. Imposes
Sanctions on Taliban (2000)
A Movement Rooted In War
Afghanistan: U.N. Imposes
Sanctions on Taliban (1999)
Moslem Fundamentalist Rebels
Capture Afghan Capital (1996)
Although the Taliban are often portrayed as products of Islamic fundamentalism, according to many analysts
their movement should rather be viewed as a direct result of Afghanistan's decades-old civil war. Indeed,
many historians trace the roots of the Taliban to violent power struggles that began in Afghanistan during the
early 1970s.
Rebel Factions Capture Afghan
Capital; Interim Council Assumes
Power (1992)
Soviet Military Forces Invade
Afghanistan Following Coup Ousting
Kabul Government; Deposed
Leader Executed (1979)
Overviews
Key Issue: The Rise of Islamic
Fundamentalism
World Almanac Encyclopedia: Islam
www.2facts.com/icof_story.aspx?PIN=i0601110
In 1973, Afghanistan was thrown into disorder when King
Zahir Shah was deposed by Mohammed Daoud, Shah's
cousin and brother-in-law. Daoud remained in power until
1978, when he was killed in a violent military coup. The
people who launched the coup belonged to the People's
Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), an organization
that supported the establishment of a political system
based on the principles of socialism.
The PDPA instituted reforms that offended many devout
Muslims, who resented the new government's efforts to
reduce the role of religion in government and education.
AFP Many Afghan citizens, especially uneducated people living
in poor, rural areas, called for a return to traditional
An armed Taliban soldier patrols Afghan Islamic values. Some of those people formed armed
2/9
4/9/13
World Almanac Encyclopedia:
Special Report--The Ordeal of
Afghan Women
World Almanac Encyclopedia:
Special Report--Buddhas' Doom in
Afghanistan
Country Profile: Afghanistan
Editorial Opinion: Fundamentalist
Rebels Recapture Afghani Capital;
Impose Islamic Rule
The Taliban
An armed Taliban soldier patrols Afghan Islamic values. Some of those people formed armed
refugees at a camp in Herat, groups that declared a jihad, or holy war, against the new
government. As a result, violence erupted in many areas
Afghanistan.
of the country as rebel groups battled with government
forces.
Seeking to support the new Afghan government and protect its interests in Central Asia, the Soviet Union
invaded Afghanistan in 1979. It appointed Babrak Karmal, a former premier who had been living in exile, as
president. Opposition to Karmal and the Soviet occupation soon became widespread, and led to the
formation of more armed rebel groups, which were known as mujahedeen, or warriors.
U.S. officials viewed the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan as a rebuke to the U.S.'s policy of
containment, an effort to stop the spread of communism. Leaders such as President Jimmy Carter (D, 197781) and Ronald Reagan (R, 1981-89) hailed the mujahedeen as "freedom fighters" who were leading the
struggle against Soviet domination. In 1979, the U.S. began providing them with arms and financing, and that
assistance helped mujahedeen prevent Soviet troops from gaining control over many areas of the country.
After Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in 1985, he called for a withdrawal of troops from
Afghanistan. In 1988, the Afghan government joined in U.N.-sponsored peace talks involving Pakistan, the
U.S. and the Soviet Union. Those meetings led to a pullout of Soviet military forces that was completed in
1989.
With continued aid from the U.S. and Pakistan, the mujahedeen kept fighting the incumbent government even
after the withdrawal of Soviet troops. In 1992, the mujahedeen took control of Kabul, Afghanistan's capital,
and instituted an interim government. However, the country remained divided among warring factions of the
mujahedeen and violence persisted, causing thousands of citizens to leave the country.
The Taliban Take Over
The Taliban first took up arms in 1994, while Afghanistan was still engulfed in unrest. According to many
analysts, the Taliban formed from a group of madrassa (Islamic school) students living in refugee camps in
Pakistan. The students came from the impoverished regions of southern Afghanistan and were largely from
the Pashtun ethnic group, which comprises roughly 40% of Afghanistan's population.
The Taliban aimed not only to reestablish order in Afghanistan, but also to rid the country of the mujahedeen,
a fractious group that was comprised mainly of people from other ethnic groups such as the Hazaras,
Uzbeks and Tajiks. Furthermore, the Taliban wished to create a political system based on pushtunwali, an
extreme form of sharia (Islamic law).
The Taliban first gained international notice when they entered Afghanistan to protect a Pakistani trade convoy
seeking to open a trade route between Pakistan and Central Asian countries such as Turkmenistan and
Uzbekistan. The Taliban first took control over the city of Kandahar, then began to advance toward Kabul,
which they seized in September 1996. After taking Kabul, the Taliban continued their fight for the rest of the
country.
At present, the Taliban control more than 90% of Afghanistan's territory. Only Takhar and Badakhshan, two
regions in northeast Afghanistan, remain under the control of the Northern Alliance.
Jeremy Eagle
As the Taliban took control over Afghanistan, they imposed its strict rules on occupied territories, restricting
many freedoms. Under the Taliban code, non-religious music is forbidden, and citizens are not allowed to
www.2facts.com/icof_story.aspx?PIN=i0601110
3/9
4/9/13
The Taliban
many freedoms. Under the Taliban code, non-religious music is forbidden, and citizens are not allowed to
own cassette tapes, televisions or movies. Men are also required to keep their hair short, and are sent to
prison if they shave their beards. Children are not allowed to participate in activities such as kite flying or
playing chess, since the Taliban considers them an unnecessary distraction from religious studies. People
who violate those rules or who are suspected of opposing the Taliban are often subject to arrest, maiming,
torture and public execution.
The Taliban also enacted laws that have severely restricted the rights of women. Among the policies that are
seen as an affront to women's rights are the following:
Women are not allowed to work.
Girls older than eight are not allowed to attend school.
Women are forced to wear b urqa, a form of traditional clothing that covers all parts of the body,
including the face.
Women are prohibited from leaving their homes unless accompanied by a male relative.
The Taliban's strict regulations are enforced by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the
Prevention of Vice, which harshly punishes those who violate Taliban rules.
Many observers claim the Taliban's system of so-called gender apartheid has left many women unhealthy
and impoverished. Since women cannot work, they are often relegated to poverty or begging if their husbands
die. Furthermore, because they cannot see male doctors, many women die of treatable medical conditions
such as appendicitis and diabetes. The oppressive system has left many women psychologically unstable.
According to Physicians for Human Rights, a Boston, Mass.-based organization, 97% of Afghan women show
signs of major depression.
Although U.S. officials deny having supported the Taliban
during their initial struggle for power, many analysts
contend that the U.S. government encouraged countries
such as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to support their
operations. The Taliban's rise to power, some say, was
favored by some public officials who felt that the regime
would bring stability to Afghanistan and crush military
groups supported by Iran, which is believed to fund terrorist
activities.
Furthermore, some analysts say, private companies in the
U.S. openly supported the Taliban, since the militia pledged
to help establish routes of transportation for oil in Central
AP/Wide World Photos; B. K. Bangash
Asia. Indeed, Unocal Corp., a California-based oil
company, once collaborated with the Taliban as it
Afghan refugee women wait for food at
formulated plans to tap into oil supplies in Central Asia's
a refugee camp near the IranCaspian Sea region.
Afghanistan border. More than two
million Afghans have fled civil war and
In December 1997, Unocal officials met with Taliban
the Muslim fundamentalist Taliban
representatives to discuss plans to build a pipeline that
militia that controls most of the
would carry oil across Afghanistan and onto the Indian
country.
subcontinent. However, those plans were abandoned in
1998, when Unocal faced criticism from feminist groups
outraged by the Taliban's assault on women's freedoms.
U.S. Policies Shift
Although the U.S. long ignored or even supported the Taliban's takeover, public officials changed their
policies in response to growing concern over the movement's collaboration with international terrorist
organizations. In August 1998, concerns over the Taliban's links to terrorists groups came to a head when the
U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania were bombed by terrorists. Officials
believed that those attacks were masterminded by Osama bin Laden, a Saudi-born multimillionaire who has
sought refuge in Afghanistan.
Shortly after the attacks on the embassies, President Clinton (D, 1993-2001) launched missile strikes on bin
Laden's training facilities in Afghanistan, declaring that "countries that persistently host terrorists have no
right to be safe havens." In the months that followed, the U.S. demanded that Taliban leaders turn over bin
Laden for trial in the U.S.
In July 1999, after the Taliban refused to extradite bin Laden, Clinton issued an executive order that imposed
sanctions on the Taliban. Those sanctions banned all trade with the militia, and froze any assets that they
might hold in the U.S. The following November, the U.N. bolstered those sanctions by passing a U.S.sponsored resolution that barred international flights to and from Afghanistan, with the exception of flights for
humanitarian or religious purposes. The resolution also froze any assets that the Taliban might hold abroad.
The Taliban, however, firmly refused to hand over bin Laden, arguing that he was a guest in their country.
Expelling bin Laden, they argued, would be a violation of Afghan tradition, which forbids the expulsion of
guests. The U.S. continued to press the militia to hand over bin Laden for trial in a U.S. court.
Frustrations with the Taliban also grew out of concerns
that the militia was actively participating in the cultivation
of opium poppies, which are used to make heroin.
www.2facts.com/icof_story.aspx?PIN=i0601110
4/9
4/9/13
The Taliban
of opium poppies, which are used to make heroin.
Although the Taliban had pledged to root out drug
cultivation and addiction when they took power,
intelligence reports alleged that the group was selling
opium in order to finance its battles with other groups.
[See 2001 The Taliban: A Partner in the War on Drugs?
(sidebar)]
In December 2000, the U.S., along with Russia,
sponsored a U.N. resolution to tighten sanctions against
the Taliban. The resolution, which was unanimously
approved, outlawed the shipment of arms to the Taliban,
required the closure of their overseas offices and barred
international aircraft from landing in Afghanistan without
U.N. approval. Furthermore, the resolution explicitly
restricted travel by senior Taliban officials.
Using powers granted under the U.N. sanctions, in
February 2001 the U.S. State Department ordered the
Taliban to close an office that the group kept in New York
City. The Taliban retaliated by ordering the U.N. to close
its political office in Kabul. U.S. Department of State
spokesperson Richard Boucher called the Taliban's
closure of the U.N. offices "inappropriate and
shortsighted."
AFP
Afghan peasants harvesting opium in
Kandahar province. Afghanistan led the
world in opium production in 1999, but
the ruling Taliban militia has banned it.
Thus far, sanctions against the Taliban appear to have
had little effect. Fighting in Afghanistan continues, and
refugees continue to pour into neighboring countries. The
refugees' plight has been worsened by a drought that has
lasted since July 2000 and made food and water scarce
in many areas. An apparent worsening of the crisis has
left many leaders in the international community divided
over current policies toward the Taliban.
Taliban Sanctions Criticized
Although most leaders agree that the Taliban pose a threat to human rights and international security, many
argue that the current regime of sanctions is an ineffective and counterproductive means of curbing their
influence. Furthermore, critics argue, isolating the Taliban will do little to end Afghanistan's internal conflict
and help its people.
According to some commentators, the arms embargo advocated by the U.S. has done nothing to quell
Afghanistan's civil war. For example, although the sanctions have cut off legal arms sales to the Taliban, they
have done nothing to stop the flow of weapons to other militias that play an active role in Afghanistan's civil
war.
Critics point out that the sanctions regime does not bar the sales of arms to the Northern Alliance, a group
that has been accused of attacking civilians suspected of sympathizing with the Taliban. The unchecked flow
of arms to the Northern Alliance, they say, has exacerbated Afghanistan's endemic violence.
Some commentators also contend that the sanctions have done nothing to limit the role that Afghanistan's
neighbors play in fueling the civil war. According to some analysts, countries such as Pakistan and Iran play
an active role in Afghanistan's civil war by supporting the Taliban and other groups. The current sanctions
regime, they contend, is no substitute for effective peace talks between all of the countries that are directly
involved in the conflict.
The sanctions are also doing little to undermine the Taliban's power, critics argue. According to some
analysts, the international community's attempt to isolate the Taliban has only made the militia more
determined to create a fundamentalist state. In fact, some analysts say that isolating the Taliban has further
radicalized the Taliban leadership, causing moderate voices to be silenced, and preventing the Taliban from
adopting policies that are less aggressive.
Indeed, according to Sayed Rahmtulla Hashemi, a Taliban envoy to the U.S., sanctions have done nothing to
change the Taliban's policies and philosophy. "We ask all governments to talk to us and not to harm us with
sanctions," Hashemi says. "Trying to change our identity by U.N. sanctions will never work."
Some groups also contend that the sanctions have worsened Afghanistan's refugee crisis by impeding
cooperation between the Taliban and groups that provide humanitarian aid. Many critics, including U.N.
Secretary General Kofi Annan, have urged the international community to drop the sanctions regime, arguing
that sanctions primarily affect Afghanistan's poor. "It is not going to facilitate our peace efforts, nor is it going
to facilitate our humanitarian work," Annan says.
Critics also argue that the U.S. and other countries focus too heavily on the Taliban's ties to the drug trade
and terrorist groups. While enacting measures to punish the Taliban for those wrongs, the U.S. has failed to
develop policies that would help aid Afghanistan's citizens, they contend. According to Ahmed Rashid, author
of The Talib an: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia (2001), "The U.S. has a 'get Osama
bin Laden' policy, but no effective Afghan policy, which could help to end the civil war."
www.2facts.com/icof_story.aspx?PIN=i0601110
5/9
4/9/13
The Taliban
bin Laden' policy, but no effective Afghan policy, which could help to end the civil war."
Furthermore, some critics argue, current policies toward the Taliban have been motivated by misconceptions
concerning the Taliban's beliefs. According to some analysts, the international community has made the
mistake of focusing too much attention on the Taliban's religious zealotry. By simply dismissing the Taliban
as irrational extremists, they argue, U.S. leaders have failed to engage the militia in meaningful dialogue that
would resolve Afghanistan's crisis.
Ruub Lubbers, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, argues that countries such as the U.S. should be
more sympathetic to the Taliban. "It is time to take a risk and stop isolating [the Taliban]," Lubbers says. "If we
really want to appeal to them on human values, we had better start to be human ourselves, and humanize the
situation."
Barnett Rubin, director of studies at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University in New
York City, says that many leaders have given too much attention to the Taliban's peculiar religious beliefs. As
a result, he says, many have overlooked the fact that the militia is a product of years of civil war and not merely
a manifestation of Islamic fundamentalism. "We have revealed an astonishing superficiality in our knowledge
of who these people are," Rubin says. Rubin also asserts that many leaders have ignored the direct role that
developed countries--including the U.S.--played in creating the Taliban.
Hard Line Receives Support
Although current attempts to isolate the Taliban have been criticized by some observers, others argue that
they are a slow, yet effective means of removing the militia from power. Unless the international community
stands firm against the Taliban, supporters argue, the regime will continue to pose a threat to Afghans and
Central Asia.
Supporters also dispute the assertion that sanctions are detrimental to humanitarian efforts and a bane to
Afghani citizens. They maintain that sanctions have been fine-tuned to target the Taliban without harming
civilians. For example, although U.N. sanctions bar Taliban officials from leaving Afghanistan, they do not
prohibit average citizens from traveling for humanitarian or religious reasons. Furthermore, proponents argue
that the suspension of trade between the U.S. and Afghanistan has had a minimal impact on the country's
economy, since trade between the two nations was negligible to begin with.
Supporters also insist that sanctions do not interfere with humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan, and that they
have been coupled with a substantial amount of foreign aid. For example, U.S. officials say, during 2000
alone, the U.S. government contributed $113 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan through
international agencies and non-governmental organizations.
Proponents of the sanctions regime argue that Afghanistan's current humanitarian crisis is almost solely the
responsibility of the Taliban--not the international community. "We all share deep concern over the deplorable
plight of the Afghani people," says Nancy Soderberg, a U.S. representative to the U.N. Security Council. "But it
is important to remember that the cause of that misery is war, drought and the draconian policies of the
[Taliban] leadership."
Advocates of the sanctions policy also argue that the Taliban must be isolated in order to prevent the spread
of Islamic fundamentalism to neighboring countries. According to many analysts, the Taliban's ideals are
taking hold in neighboring countries such as Pakistan and Tajikistan.
Furthermore, some say, the Taliban has provided support and refuge to Islamic fundamentalist groups in
Chechnya, a war-torn region of Russia inhabited largely by Muslims. Without the sanctions, supporters
argue, the Taliban would have more freedom to support such groups, and could threaten the stability of
Central Asia as a whole. [See 2001 Central and South Asia Face Threat of 'Talibanization' (sidebar)]
Proponents of the sanctions also argue that the international community must refuse to give the Taliban
diplomatic recognition until they change their repressive policies. Officially recognizing the Taliban, they say,
would be just as bad as endorsing the cruel laws they have imposed on their citizens.
Furthermore, supporters argue, the Taliban have proven entirely unwilling to respect basic human rights or
compromise their stringent religious principles. Whether or not the international community engages them in
dialogue, supporters say, the group is highly unlikely to grant the Afghan people freedom or due process of
law.
While most U.S. officials say they remain committed to isolating the Taliban, they pledge to continue helping
Afghanistan resolve its civil conflict. "We've continued to work in a variety of ways with the U.N. and others to try
to support international efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan," says Boucher. "That remains very, very
important to us, and we'll continue to do that."
Finding a New Approach
Years after the Taliban emerged and began to struggle for control over Afghanistan, the international
community has proven unable to stem the group's acts of aggression and assaults on human rights. The
current regime of sanctions on the Taliban, as well as pleas for a cease-fire, have shown little evidence of
helping to end Afghanistan's decades-old internal conflict. According to many commentators, a new approach
to the country's plight must be taken to protect the citizens of Afghanistan and the rest of Central Asia.
Instead of simply threatening the Taliban with further sanctions or military action, some observers argue,
countries such as the U.S. must provide the group with incentives to engage in peace talks. For example,
some analysts have suggested that the U.S. could offer the Taliban an economic relief package in exchange
www.2facts.com/icof_story.aspx?PIN=i0601110
6/9
4/9/13
The Taliban
some analysts have suggested that the U.S. could offer the Taliban an economic relief package in exchange
for an end to their aggression.
By cooperating with Afghanistan to rebuild its war-torn infrastructure and depressed economy, some say, the
U.S. could entice the Taliban into ending their war with opposing militias and moderating its policies. Such
an approach, they maintain, would provide a greater chance of resolving Afghanistan's conflict without military
intervention, and would provide Afghanistan with the foundation for future economic growth and stability.
In the coming years, the Bush administration and the international community will be left with the task of
formulating new policies toward the Taliban and resolving Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis. Whether
leaders will be rigid or flexible in their approach remains to be seen.
Bibliography
Balduff, Scott. "Afghan Path." Christian Science Monitor (April 9, 2001): 7.
Constable, Pamela. "Buddhas' Rubble Marks a Turn for Taliban." Washington Post (March 20, 2001): A1.
Crossette, Barbara. "Taliban: War for War's Sake." New York Times (March 18, 2001): A4.
Filipov, David. "Islamic Rebels Thrive In Central Asia." Boston Glob e (December 31, 2000): A1.
Finkel, David. "The Road of Last Resort." Washington Post (March 18, 2001): A1.
Gerecht, Reuel. "Taking Sides in Afghanistan." New York Times (March 8, 2001): A23.
King, Neil Jr. "U.N. Sanctions on Taliban May Hamper Effort to Bring bin Laden to Trial in U.S." Wall Street
Journal (November 12, 1999): A17.
Newberg, Paula. "More Sanctions are No Substitute for Ending a War." Los Angeles Times (January 7, 2001):
M2.
Pope, Hugh. "Afghan Mutiny Boosts Islamist Fighters, Chances for Western-built Oil Pipeline." Wall Street
Journal (May 20, 1997): A14.
Rashid, Ahmed. "Afghanistan: Ending the Policy Quagmire." Journal of International Affairs (Spring 2001):
395.
Saikal, Amin. "The Role of Outside Actors in Afghanistan." Middle East Policy (October 2000): 50.
Wright, Robin. "Taliban Asks U.S. to Lift Its Economic Sanctions." Los Angeles Times (March 20, 2001): A8.
Additional Sources
Additional information ab out the Talib an can b e found in the following sources:
Magnus, Ralph and Eden Naby. Afghanistan: Mullah, Marx and Mujahid. Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press,
1998.
Rashid, Ahmed. Talib an: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia. New Haven, Conn.: Yale
University Press, 2001.
Contact Information
Information on how to contact organizations that are either mentioned in the discussion of the Talib an or can
provide additional information on the sub ject is listed b elow:
Heritage Foundation
214 Massachusetts Avenue N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20002
Telephone: (202) 546-4400
Internet: www.heritage.org
Human Rights Watch
350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10118
Telephone: (212) 290-4700
Internet: www.hrw.org
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20520
Telephone: (202) 647-4000
Internet: www.state.gov
The Revolutionary Association for the Women of Afghanistan
www.rawa.org
Keywords and Points
www.2facts.com/icof_story.aspx?PIN=i0601110
7/9
4/9/13
Keywords and Points
The Taliban
For further information ab out the ongoing deb ate over the Talib an, search for the following words and terms in
electronic datab ases and other pub lications:
Mujahedeen
Ruub Lubbers
Burqa
Northern Alliance
Afghanistan
The Taliban Update
Since ICOF last covered the Taliban on May 25, 2001, the Taliban was toppled from its ruling position in
Afghanistan as a result of the U.S.-led invasion following terrorist attacks against the U.S. September 11,
2001. Although a U.S.-backed government took control, Taliban fighters still remained able to conduct some
operations in the remoter parts of Afghanistan. Among the key events:
In what was by far the worst terrorist attack ever launched in the U.S., on September 11, 2001, two
hijacked airliners crashed into and destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City and a third
hit the Pentagon, causing major damage. A fourth hijacked plane failed to accomplish its mission
and crashed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. Within days, the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had identified 19 suspected suicide bombers and had uncovered
evidence linking the attacks to the wealthy Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaeda
terrorist network, who was reported to be operating in Afghanistan. U.S. forces, along with troops
from several allied countries and the Afghanistan opposition Northern Alliance, then launched a
military campaign in that country, where they ousted the ruling Taliban government, which they
accused of giving sanctuary to bin Laden. Bin Laden was not himself captured. The Taliban
supreme leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, also was not captured, but many Taliban fighters were
taken, many of whom were imprisoned at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo, Cuba. In December,
Hamid Karzai, a prominent leader from the Pashtun ethnic group, was sworn in to lead the 30-
www.2facts.com/icof_story.aspx?PIN=i0601110
member interim government, and U.S. President Bush (R) said that U.S. forces would remain in
Afghanistan until it was stable. [See 2001 Facts on File: Hijacked Jets Destroy World Trade Center,
Hit Pentagon; 5,000 People Missing, Presumed Dead; U.S. Congress Approves Military Action in
Retaliation for 'Acts of War'; Other Developments, Bush Orders Banks to Freeze Assets of
Suspected Terror Supporters in Response to Attacks, Opposition Northern Alliance Captures
Afghan Capital, Kabul, After Taliban Troops Retreat to South, Afghan Commanders Claim Victory
Over Al Qaeda Combatants, Provisional Afghan Government Takes Power as War Effort Wanes]
In the early part of 2002, although the Taliban had been ousted, U.S. analysts recognized that
remnants of its forces were still capable of fighting in Afghanistan and U.S. forces searched for
possible Taliban holdouts. In January, U.S. Special Forces raided two alleged Taliban compounds
in southern Afghanistan, but later it was concluded that the 16 Afghans killed in the operation did
not belong to the Taliban or Al Qaeda as it had originally claimed. On March 2, however, U.S. and
Afghan troops began what was known as "Operation Anaconda," the largest ground assault in the
campaign since it began. The soldiers attacked supporters of Al Qaeda and the deposed Taliban
militia southeast of the city of Gardez. The allies met heavy resistance, leading to speculation that
top Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders might be hiding in the area. The U.S. believed that many of the Al
Qaeda and Taliban fighters were foreigners, including Arabs, Uzbeks and possibly Chechens, with
analysts speculating that foreigners might be more willing to fight to the death because they had
fewer options than Afghan fighters who could be reabsorbed into the local population. On March
12, U.S. and allied forces took control of strategic positions in the Shahikot mountain range in
eastern Afghanistan, where Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters had been regrouping. U.S.-led forces
swept the area to battle remaining pockets of resistance and search caves that were believed to be
Taliban and Al Qaeda hideouts. A week later, General Tommy Franks, head of the U.S. Central
Command, declared an end to the operation and called it an "unqualified and absolute success."
[See 2002 Facts on File: U.S. Concedes 16 Afghans Killed In Raids Not Taliban or Al Qaeda]
U.S. officials said on April 30, 2002 that as many as 1,000 U.S. troops were being deployed in
eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan, where several hundred British marines had
arrived two weeks earlier. The border area had become the focus of U.S.-led efforts to prevent
members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban from regrouping. Although Pakistan had stationed some
12,000 troops along the border to try to close it, hundreds of Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters had
reportedly managed to cross into Pakistan. [See 2002 Facts on File: U.S.-Led Forces Target
Afghanistan-Pakistan Border]
In June 2002, a grand council known as a /loya jirga/ met in Kabul, the Afghan capital, to select a
transitional government that would serve until elections were held in 2004. The delegates
reappointed Karzai to head the transitional government. [See 2002 Facts on File: Karzai Named to
Head Transitional Afghan Government]
On September 5, 2002, a gunman in Kandahar, Afghanistan, fired on a car carrying President
Karzai, who was unhurt. U.S. soldiers guarding Karzai opened fire on the assailant, killing him and
two others, an Afghan bodyguard and a bystander. Both U.S. and Afghan officials suggested that
the Taliban or Al Qaeda were responsible. The attack came just three hours after a car bomb
exploded in Kabul, killing 30. [See 2002 Facts on File: Afghanistan--Karzai Escapes Assassination
Attempt; Other Developments]
In the heaviest fighting since March 2002, U.S. and allied forces on January 28, 2003 killed about
18 Afghan guerrillas in southeastern Afghanistan. Some 350 coalition troops and 80 Afghan
guerrillas were believed to have been involved in the battle. A U.S. military spokesman said the
8/9
4/9/13
The Taliban
guerrillas were believed to have been involved in the battle. A U.S. military spokesman said the
clash had broken out after U.S.-led forces came under fire when they went to look into a claim that
forces loyal to Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar were lodged in caves and hideouts in the Adi
Gar mountain range. The U.S. then sent some 300 troops to search a complex of about 160 caves,
but they did not find any guerrillas. The cave complexes, stocked with ammunition and other
supplies, were said to be where the Taliban had regrouped with the help of Hekmatyar, who
opposed the Karzai government. [See 2003 Facts on File: Afghanistan--U.S. Forces Kill 18 in Major
Battle]
U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, at a joint news conference in Kabul with President
Karzai, declared on May 1, 2003 that U.S. forces in Afghanistan had ended major combat
operations. Nevertheless, the security situation remained precarious in parts of the country,
especially along the Pakistan border. In late April, two U.S. soldiers had been killed and four others
injured in a skirmish with at least 20 suspected Taliban fighters along that border. On June 7, a
vehicle exploded next to a bus carrying German peacekeeping troops in Kabul, killing four soldiers
and at least one Afghan bystander. Karzai attributed the attack to foreign fighters, claiming that it
could not have been Afghans because "the Taliban movement as a movement is finished, is
gone." Nonetheless, the Taliban continued to fight. More than 50 people were killed in separate
incidents August 12-13 in the most violent 24-hour period in Afghanistan in over a year, as the
Taliban was reported to be trying to reorganize and weaken Karzai's government. On September 7,
U.S. Lieutenant General John Vines, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said that U.S. forces
had recently intensified military operations, killing as many as 200 suspected Taliban members.
He added that Taliban fighters had begun to operate in groups as large as 100 and estimated that
some 1,000 Taliban combatants were still hiding in Afghanistan, where they were getting support
from Al Qaeda. In November, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, said that
attacks on U.S.-led military forces and foreign aid workers had "increased in recent weeks and
months." Rumsfeld visited Afghanistan in early December on a trip that was reportedly seen as an
attempt by the U.S. to show that an ongoing conflict in Iraq had not distracted it from the unstable
security situation and slow reconstruction process in Afghanistan. [See 2003 Facts on File:
Afghanistan-- U.S. Announces End of Major Combat, Afghanistan--Car Bomb Kills German
Peacekeepers, Afghanistan--Violence Kills More than 50; Other Development, Afghanistan--U.S.
Operations Kill 200 Fighters, Afghanistan--U.S. Defense Secretary Visits; Other Developments]
On November 3, interim President Hamid Karzai was declared the winner of Afghanistan's first
presidential election, held in early October. The announcement came a day after a panel of three
Western observers concluded that voting irregularities that had occurred did not affect the overall
result of the election. Karzai won roughly 55% of the vote. [See 2004 Facts on File: Karzai Elected
First President]
A suicide bomber suspected of affiliation with the ousted Taliban regime detonated explosives
near a convoy of Canadian military vehicles on December 4, 2005, killing himself and a civilian
bystander. Suspected Taliban rebels had carried out a series of recent attacks against Afghan and
foreign forces. [See 2005 Facts on File: U.S. Aid Expected to Reach $5.5 Billion]
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Citation:
"The Taliban." Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 9
Jan. 2006. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. <http://www.2facts.com/article/i0601110>.
For further information see Citing Sources in MLA Style.
Facts On File News Services' automatically generated MLA citations have been updated according to the MLA Handbook for
Writers of Research Papers, 7th edition.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Citation format:
The title of the article. (Year, Month Day). Issues & Controversies On File. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from
Issues & Controversies database.
See the American Psychological Association (APA) Style Citations for more information on citing in APA style.
Record URL:
http://www.2facts.com/article/i0601110
Return to Top
Copyright © 2013 Facts On File New s Services. All Rights Reserved.
Sources | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | About Us | About this Database | Contact Us | FAQs
www.2facts.com/icof_story.aspx?PIN=i0601110
9/9