The Return of the Taliban: Afghanistan After the Americans Left, is a book by Hassan Abbas providing an in-depth analysis of the revived Taliban after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. A distinguished scholar on South Asian politics and security, Abbas studied the reasons behind the return of the Taliban to power, the ideology and ethnicity behind their rule, and a wider regional perspective on what their governance will mean for Afghanistan. His keen study of all historical, political, and religious contexts brings us a well-researched narrative that captures critical insights into the Taliban’s evolving strategies and governance challenges.
Each of the six chapters in this book isolates and focuses on different dimensions of Afghanistan’s metamorphosis under the Taliban. Abbas traces the Taliban’s history from its emergence in 1994 to their `collapsing’ after the U.S. invasion in October 2001, and subsequent resurgence two decades later. Sunni-Hanafi-Deobandi ideology, Pashtun culture, and regional power rivalries manifestly shaped the Taliban. Internal weaknesses in Ashraf Ghani’s government; the exclusion of Afghan leadership from the U.S.-Taliban negotiations; and the inefficacy of the Afghan National Army are explored as those factors contributing to the Taliban’s return.
One of the major themes of the book addresses the metamorphosis of the Taliban from an insurgency into a governing body. Abbas argues that while they remain rigid ideologically, their ideas of governance have already evolved. He looks into their authority framework, cabinet-making, and policy-making and says that there is no ethnicity-inclusivity, and still the restrictions on women’s rights deprive them of all rights. The author also criticizes the economy’s instability under the Taliban due to the freezing of international funds and the collapse of foreign aid, which has left the country in a financial crisis.
Some portions of the book deal with the relations of the Taliban with the rest of the world. Abbas talks about their global isolation, bad relations with neighbors, and their fraught relationship with Pakistan, especially concerning the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Another aspect of the challenge confronting the Taliban in considering overall governance is their extremely fragile internal unity against the pressures from outside. The rise of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) also remains a serious security threat within Afghanistan and beyond.
Abbas elaborates on the Taliban’s efforts at social media outreach to construct narratives and manipulate public perception. He offers a critical appraisal of the Doha Agreement, stating that despite its provisions for women’s rights and educational rights, the Taliban have not honored the rights of ethnic minorities like the Hazara community. The text presents a nation trying to cope with austere rules, collapsing economies, and rising opposition, grappling with the question of whether the current path can sustain the Taliban in the long term.
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An excellent read for scholars and policymakers, and for anyone keen on Afghanistan’s changing political landscape. Abbas presents a balanced perspective from a well-researched angle that goes beyond the surface reflections one can see in media reports. The author talks about the governance model of the Taliban, its ideological foundations, and its global standing, making this book a significant acquisition for understanding the realities of Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal.
Hence, “The Return of the Taliban: Afghanistan After the Americans Left” is a mandatory reading for all those who want to know Afghanistan today and, in the days, to come. Abbas states that the Taliban regime faces many obstacles, from internal fractures to international isolation, contending even as it projects possible futures for Afghanistan. Another very relevant contribution to the arena of international relations, security studies, and Middle Eastern politics.