Item Detail Information

Book

Decoding the new Taliban : insights from the Afghan field

Copies

10 Total copies, 10 Copies are in, 0 Copies are out.

"Antonio Giustozzi gathers a renowned cast of journalists, experts, and academics to answer the most pressing questions regarding the Taliban today. Each contributor possesses extensive knowledge of the insurgency's latest developments, decoding its structure and organization as it operates within specific regions and provinces. They analyze the new Taliban as it expands, from the mature south, where they hold sway, to the southeast, where they struggle to penetrate, from the west and northeast, now in the initial stages of infiltration, to the provinces surrounding Kabul, which have been unexpectedly and quickly occupied. Along with these advances, contributors review current theories for defeating the strategies and propaganda of the new Taliban. Issues covered include the strengths and weaknesses of the organization; the nature of its networks and whether they are based on traditional ties of kin and ethnicity or more institutional chains of command; its success at maintaining unity, even when faced with attrition in the field; the consequences of unruly leaders and conflicts over rule; the group's exploitation of the opium trade; the factors that have contributed to a resurgence in Kabul; and the extent to which Taliban leaders have imposed strategy among the rank and file, despite immense geographical challenges and poorly functioning communication systems." Publisher's description

Share It:

Availability Summary MARC Cover Image Additional Info

Summary Note

"Antonio Giustozzi gathers a renowned cast of journalists, experts, and academics to answer the most pressing questions regarding the Taliban today. Each contributor possesses extensive knowledge of the insurgency's latest developments, decoding its structure and organization as it operates within specific regions and provinces. They analyze the new Taliban as it expands, from the mature south, where they hold sway, to the southeast, where they struggle to penetrate, from the west and northeast, now in the initial stages of infiltration, to the provinces surrounding Kabul, which have been unexpectedly and quickly occupied. Along with these advances, contributors review current theories for defeating the strategies and propaganda of the new Taliban. Issues covered include the strengths and weaknesses of the organization; the nature of its networks and whether they are based on traditional ties of kin and ethnicity or more institutional chains of command; its success at maintaining unity, even when faced with attrition in the field; the consequences of unruly leaders and conflicts over rule; the group's exploitation of the opium trade; the factors that have contributed to a resurgence in Kabul; and the extent to which Taliban leaders have imposed strategy among the rank and file, despite immense geographical challenges and poorly functioning communication systems." Publisher's description

Content Note

The Taliban and the opium trade / Gretchen S. Peters -- Reading the Taliban / Joanna Nathan -- The resurgence of the Taliban in Kabul: Logar and Wardak / Mohammad Osman Tariq Elias -- Loya Paktia's insurgency / Thomas Ruttig and Sébastien Trives -- The return of the Taliban in Andar district: Ghazni / Christoph Reuter and Borhan Younus -- The Taliban in Helmand: an oral history / Tom Coghlan -- Unruly commanders and violent power struggles: Taliban networks in Uruzgan / Martine van Bijlert -- Taliban in Zabul: a witness' account / Abdul Awwal Zabulwal -- What Kandahar's Taliban say / Graeme Smith -- The Taliban's marches: Herat, Farah, Baghdis and Ghor / Antonio Giustozzi -- Taliban and counter-insurgency in Kunar / David Kilcullen -- Northern exposure for the Taliban / Sippi Azerbaijani Moghaddam -- The Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan / Claudio Franco.