Return of the Taliban Afghanistan after the Americans left

Abbas (National Defense Univ.) takes on the Herculean task of providing a comprehensive analysis of Afghanistan after the return of the Taliban. In the process, the book dispels many myths, including the idea that there is only "one" Taliban. Most significantly, the book demonstrates the many divisions within the Taliban, uncovering their inner workings and factional politics. The book presents the numerous economic, political, and social threats facing Afghanistan and the Taliban, evaluates their domestic and international contexts, and urges readers to come to grips with the Taliban's struggles and challenges. Abbas examines each issue with the aim of finding ways to improve the life of ordinary Afghans. Throughout the book, he offers a fair criticism of the West's foreign policy failures in Afghanistan, and challenges the United States to engage with the Taliban as a way of moving Afghanistan forward. The book is highly readable, clear, and logical in its progression. Ultimately, Abbas offers readers a vivid and broad account of contemporary Afghanistan. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates through faculty; professionals; general readers. --Michael F Cairo, Transylvania University