The Main Goal of the Taliban in Afghanistan

Armajani, J. (2021). The Taliban. In Handbook of Islamic Sects and Movements (pp. 348-348). Brill.

Armajani’s contribution to the “Handbook of Islamic Sects and Movements” provides a short yet precise description of the Taliban movement from the Islamic perspective. The chapter covers the historical origins of the Taliban, explains their ideological foundations, and describes the organization of their network. It is the Armajani who provides the valuable bests about the growth of the Taliban to power and their after-effects on the society of Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the Islamic groups taking place in the handbook are numerous. As a result, the handbook is limited in space. Consequently, the discussion on the Taliban group might lack depth compared to standalone studies. However, it is not a good point for one focusing on the position of the Taliban within the spectrum of the Islamic movements.

Evaluation: Chapter 4 by Armajani provides comprehensive information about the Taliban’s place in Islamic communities and movements, yet its shortness might limit its applicability for advanced research.

Fox, D. (2021). Why The Taliban Have Been Successful In Afghanistan.

In the article, Fox goes deep to find out that there are several causes of the Taliban’s triumph in Afghanistan. Analyzing history, strategy, and interviews with experts, Fox unimaginably scanners the minute factors that make the Taliban resilient and successful. He points to the decentralized nature of the Taliban, their effective local grievance exploitation, and grassroots support’s role throughout. While the article offers a highly nuanced analysis of the tactics and strategies employed by the Taliban, it lacks sufficient empirical evidence and deep analysis of the alternative positions. Fox’s work as a whole leads to a valuable clarification of the complexity of the Taliban’s triumph and thus shines a light on their skills to maneuver in the complicated social and political Afghan realities.

Evaluation: Indeed, the article by Fox gives a nuanced look at the Taliban’s success, but it still is deficient in occasions by empirical evidence and alternative argumentation. Nevertheless, it provides the audience with information about the Taliban’s strategies and tactics, thus making it an important study source for the audience to be aware of the Taliban’s resilience in Afghanistan.

Jan, A. (2022). The Rise of Taliban in Afghanistan in 2021 and its Security Implications for Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Social Research, 4(04), 1059-1067.

The work of Jan focuses on the revival of the Taliban in 2021 and understanding how it impacts the national security of Pakistan. While rigorous examination of Afghan-Pak geopolitics, transborder connections, and regional alliances, Jan demonstrates the concern of a security issue of significance in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This article is very useful in showing the link of the Taliban to the takeover of Afghanistan with internal Pakistan stability and foreign relations. Yet, presenting more empirical evidence and case studies could boost its justification. Moreover, a detailed analysis of possible policy outcomes for Pakistan should be incorporated into the article, as this would make the article more applicable and relevant for policymakers and analysts. Evaluation: Jan’s article comes with invaluable hints on the security risks the Taliban rise creates for Pakistan, but it should be enriched with real data and policy advice.

Maizland, L., & Laub, Z. (2021). The Taliban in Afghanistan. Council on Foreign Relations, 15.

The Maizland and Laub report is not only an analysis of the information but also a reference to the Taliban’s history and present regime in Afghanistan. Employing an array of sources like interviews with experts and field research produces a sophisticated and contextualized portrayal of the Taliban’s transition and aims. It examines influential factors underlying the Taliban’s resurgence, including local dynamics, governmental inefficiencies, and foreign support. Alongside this, the matter evaluated in the report is the impact of the Taliban’s return to the government of Afghanistan for the stability and security of the region. While the report is unafraid of covering a broad range of factors, its conclusions might be enriched by further studies that go into more specific details of socioeconomicsocioeconomic status and local dynamics. Specifically, the report of Maizland and Laub suitably contributes to the overall understanding of the complexities of how the Taliban operates in Afghanistan.

Evaluation: The report by Maizland and Laub covers a wide range of topics related to the Taliban’s history, ideology, and current situation; however, the understanding of socioeconomic factors is also necessary for the better understanding of the problem.

Weigand, F. (2022). Why Did the Taliban Win (Again) in Afghanistan?. Afghanistan, 87.

Weigand’s article studies the aspects responsible for the Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan. Weigand, in an in-depth study that utilizes historical analysis, field research, and interviews with key stakeholders, points out the systemic deficiencies within the Afghan government and security forces and features strategic errors by external actors. He indicates that the above factors, when reinforced by the Taliban’s adaptive tactics and resilient organizational structure, were the essential elements for their victory. Although the article is an excellent source of information with regard to the Taliban’s military and political structure, it could use deeper analysis regarding socioeconomic factors and local dynamics at the same time. As well, a holistic outlook on the issue of studying other insurgent groups’ experience(s) would be more effective in the context of the analysis. Briefly, Weigand presents a comprehensive argument on the reason behind the Taliban’s success but questions the non-exploration of contextual nuances.

Evaluation: The article “The Rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan” provides a convincing assessment of the causes of Taliban victory in Afghanistan, but it can be built up by a thorough treatment of socioeconomic factors a comparative perspective.

References.

Armajani, J. (2021). The Taliban. In Handbook of Islamic Sects and Movements (pp. 348-348). Brill.

Fox, D. (2021). Why The Taliban Have Been Successful In Afghanistan.

Jan, A. (2022). The Rise of Taliban in Afghanistan in 2021 and its Security Implications for Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Social Research, 4(04), 1059-1067.

Maizland, L., & Laub, Z. (2021). The Taliban in Afghanistan. Council on Foreign Relations, 15.

Weigand, F. (2022). 5. Why Did the Taliban Win (Again) in Afghanistan? Afghanistan, 87.