The Taliban: Afghanistan’s Most Lethal Insurgents

Understand the complexities of the most lethal insurgent group of America’s longest war-the Taliban.

Battle hardened, tribally oriented, and deeply committed to its cause, the Taliban has proven itself resourceful, adaptable, and often successful. As such, the Taliban presents a counterinsurgency puzzle for which the United States has yet to identify effective military tactics, information operations, and Coalition developmental policies. Written by one of the Department of the Army’s leading intelligence and military analysts on the Taliban, this book covers the group’s complete history, including its formation, ideology, and political power, as well as the origins of its current conflict with the United States. The work carefully analyzes the agenda, capabilities, and support base of the Taliban; forecasts the group’s likely course of action to retake Afghanistan; and details the Coalition forces’ probable counterinsurgency responses. Author Mark Silinsky also reviews the successes and failures of the latest U.S. counterinsurgency doctrine to extrapolate the best strategies for future counterinsurgency campaigns.

Provides insights from an author with academic training in politics and economics as well as a 30-year defense intelligence community background, including serving as an Army analyst in Afghanistan

Presents information recently obtained under the Freedom of Information Act

Analyzes the tribal, religious, political, and international elements of the greater Taliban problem