Afghanistan is on the verge of another transition as it seeks stability and deals with a variety of internal and external issues. After the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist organisation, captured Kabul, Afghanistan's capital, on August 15, 2021. It was the culmination of a military offensive against the Afghan government that began in May 2021. The arrest occurred just hours after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. The majority of Afghanistan's provincial capitals had fallen one after the other as part of a US troop withdrawal scheduled to end on August 31, 2021. Internal political turmoil, constant Taliban attacks across the country, and deadly suicide bombings by the Islamic State-Khorasan keep it busy while external nations play the New Great Game for geo-strategic ambitions both in its front yard and in its backyard. This book highlights all the ongoing issues of Afghanistan's surge and provides the readers with insights into the country's past, present and future.
Afghanistan has been a nation of "graves of many nations" who saw it from their own prisms, devoid of realities of the land and the perspective of the people of the nation. Each nation left it more chaotic than when it entered. Afghanistan is today a global tragedy characterized by barbarism, human rights violations and religious fanaticism devoid of humanity. Understanding Taliban 2.0 its genesis and prognosis is thus foundational to understanding the geopolitics of the region. The book has well encapsulated this sphere and is a must read for both academia and professionals. Its detailed research presents a rich resource for understanding the challenges and dynamics of the region.
- Lt Gen A B Shivane, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd)
Former Director General Mechanised Forces
Distinguished Fellow, CLAWS
This well-researched and detailed book provides a sharp bird's eye-view of Afghan history. The book flows very well and touches on current events and suggests paths forward. The book is recommended for scholars, academics, researchers, and those who have an interest in studying the geopolitical future of the South Asia.
- Professor Swaran Singh, CIPOD, JNU
An interesting book on the current geo-strategic hot spot, Afghanistan. Multiple writers have dealt with whole range of issues covering cultural, economic, political, social, and religious history of Afghanistan in a concise and interesting way. Recommended reading.
- Lt Gen Kamal Jit Singh, PVSM, AVSM & Bar (Veteran)
Former Western Army Commander & State Information Commissioner
This book is an absorbing read which give the reader an insight into the complexities of the region. It has totally changed the way I think about this beautiful and complex country. If you want to at least "scratch the surface" of learning about Afghanistan, this is a good place to start. This was an excellent book that both gave a very readable overview of Afghanistan's history and an incisive analysis of the current situation facing the country and its future.
- Maj Gen Rohit Gupta, SM (Retd)
