Taliban [Paperback]

I actually read the latest updated edition, called "Taliban: The True Story About the World's Most Feared Guerilla Fighters," which can be found on the UK Amazon site.

This book is a very good read and it will provide insight into the situation in Afghanistan; how and why the Taliban came to power and then were (temporarily?) dethroned by the US invasion, Al Quaida's role in Afghanistan, as well as how other nations interests have influenced the war. It also show how the coalition forces are being used by various clans as (unknowing) pawns to exact revenge in generation old vendettas, and how their [the coalition forces] cultural insensitivity and/or ignorance is only increasing the Afghan people's willingness to support the Taliban.

I saw one reviewer who thought that Fergusson was excusing the Taliban's punishment of violations against the sharia laws, and I think that is incorrect. Fergusson was trying to supply context and when possible, the Taliban's reasons (however absurd they may seem to a western reader) for enacting the ban on TV and kite flying etc - he was not making excuses. Providing context and explanation is not the same thing as excusing.

To sum this up; this book provided me with a lot of information (and again; context) which western media has (willingly?) ignored and/or failed to provide. I agree with Fergusson's conclusion that the only way to end the war in Afghanistan is through dialog with the Taliban followed by a complete withdrawal of all foreign troops.

(Now, if we could only get the ISI to bud out as well...)

I initially thought I'd give this review "James Fergusson 'hearts' the Taliban" as a title. But that wouldn't be fair since I think the book and the author's ideas have some merit.

I'm giving the author five stars for proposing something that the United States seriously needs to consider...doing a deal with the Taliban that will allow the United States to withdraw from Afghanistan without having to worry that it will revert to being the de facto "treehouse" for all manner of global jihadist groups. I also give him kudos for taking the trouble to actually talk with the Taliban and former Taliban himself rather than rely on secondary sources).

I'm open to the idea of doing a deal with the Taliban because I've grown increasingly skeptical that the United States and its allies can do very much to establish a "nice" system of government there. And I believe that the recent lynching of UN workers in Mazar-e Sharif in response to the antics of Terry Jones indicate that there really isn't a lot of daylight between "Taliban extremists" and "nice Afghans." Would it be great if Afghanistan was a functioning country with emancipated women, constitutionally protected freedoms? Sure. But in the end the United States needs to have is a situation where the country won't become a launchpad for terrorist attacks throughout the world once again. If the Taliban can deliver on that, I'd be happy to strike a deal with them because it's in the interest of the United States.

The problem with this book is that Fergusson really does bend over backwards to excuse, minimize, or otherwise wave away all the odious aspects of the first Taliban regime (The brutal public executions? Hey, some of those killed were guilty! The gender apartheid? Hey, all Afghans treat their women like dirt, the Taliban just did it more so. Heck, he even excuses the Taliban banning the much-beloved Afghan custom of kite fighting (since there's a remote chance a participant might catch a glimpse of an unveiled woman if they climb up buildings while flying their kites).

The author's effort to wave away the supremely ugly public executions borders on the ludicrous when he quotes a "Western journalist" who says something inane like "I don't know why these benighted Americans are so upset since the State of Texas executes more people than the Taliban do each year." That may be true, but even in Texas, all of those executions were done with far more due process, deliberation, and chances for the condemned than the Taliban ever did. And at no time has the State of Texas ever allowed a family member of murder victims to take a butcher knife and saw off the heads of two condemned murderers like the Taliban did before a mass audience.

But if the Taliban could keep Afghanistan relatively terrorist free and reduce opium production some, I'd be willing to ignore all of that (although I'm certain a lot of lefty activists currently clamoring for a deal with the Taliban would promptly change their tunes and start condemning the US for "turning a blind eye" to secure its own vital interests). But the people of the United States and its major partners in Afghanistan need to be leveled with about the nature of business partner they might engage with. Demonizing the Taliban is counterproductive but so is wishing away all the ugliness that that group undeniably possesses.

The question is are the Taliban, specifically the ones in the Quetta Shura in Pakistan (Mullah Omar and friends) really interested in doing a deal with the US? Remember, they allowed Bin Laden to stay in their country despite his public statements that he and friends were at war with the United States and were going to kill American citizens wherever they could find them. And Mullah Omar and friends felt strongly enough about that they were willing to go to war with the US in a fight they could never win and they lost control of the country because of that in 2001.

So I'm deeply skeptical that the United States could ever trust the Taliban to agree to keep terrorists (including ones who murder people in India, Israel, Chechnya, and Pakistan) out of their shiny new Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. And I also am deeply skeptical that the Taliban and the United States could ever reach an agreement that would enable the United States to assess that the agreement was being honored.

So I give the author one star for being naive to balance out five stars for being bold and creative enough to propose the US seriously consider holding its nose and doing a deal with the Taliban.

James Fergusson brings us a refreshingly different view on the Taliban and their history and role in Afghanistan. A well researched book debunking some of the common myth's associated with the Taliban.

After reading this book I feel I have a much better understanding of Afghansitan and the issues facing the troops on the ground. I take my hat off to the author for a gutsy realistice look at the Taliban.