Who are the Taliban? Are they a militant movement? Are they religious scholars? The fact that these and other questions are still raised is testimony to the way the movement has been studied, often at arm's length and with scant use of primary sources. The Taliban Reader forges a new path, bringing together an extensive range of largely unseen sources in a guide to the Afghan Islamist movement from a unique insider perspective. -- Paper jacket front lap.

Part 1 : Mujahedeen and Topaliyaan (1979-1994) -- Part 2 : Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1994-2001). Nascent State (1994-1996) -- Beginning Government (1996-1998) -- Isolation and Retrenchment (1998-2001) -- Part 3 : Insurgency (2001- ). Shock and Awe (2001-2003) -- Expansion & Revival (2004-2010) -- New Realities (2011-2017).