The Taliban: Afghanistan'S Most Lethal Insurgents(PSI Guides to Terrorists, Insurgents, and Armed Groups)

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.

Table of Contents:
Foreword by Raymond Taras Preface Introduction Abbreviations 1. Afghanistan's Landscape, the People, and Islamism 2. Enter the Taliban 3. The Taliban in Power 4. The Taliban in Defeat 5. The Taliban's Recovery in Pakistan 6. The Taliban Improve Their Tactics and Firepower 7. Taliban Inc. 8. Affiliated Insurgent Groups and Foreign Connections 9. The Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan Afterword: Salafist Dystopia Appendix: Coalition Military Fatalities by Year Notes Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Mark Silinsky, PhD, is a 32-year veteran of the defense intelligence community. He has served as a senior counterinsurgency advisor and counterintelligence analyst in the United States and in Afghanistan.

Review :
Covering a perplexing subject succinctly, this is a more academic and up-to-date examination . . . . It will be useful for students investigating current events and is a valuable addition to collections supporting introductory academic research into contemporary world history or politics. Written by an Army intelligence veteran, this work tackles a difficult subject, balancing factual reporting, emotionally charged narratives, basic background information, and deeper explorations of conflict and ideologies. . . . The content is well researched, gives relevant historical context and background of the extremist policies of the Taliban, and describes atrocities committed by terrorists and Americans and resistance to the Taliban. The occasionally dry tone is balanced by short, descriptive profiles of different people, such as a comedian who resisted oppression with humor. . . . The author has a military background, which provides insight and makes this book far less alarmist than The World Almanac of Islamism (Rowman & Littlefield, 2011). . . . The content is general enough for casual reading, and an extensive compilation of notes and a strong bibliography make it a great resource for research. Overall, this is a well-organized, valuable work. This is a highly comprehensive, informative, and authoritative examination of the origins and evolution of the Taliban. . . . [T]his book serves as an indispensable handbook for those interested in understanding the extent of progress made so far and the likely security challenges that lie ahead. The book to read about The Taliban is Mark Silinsky's The Taliban: Afghanistan's Most Lethal Insurgents. . . . [P]ublished in 2014, it is the best, clearest, most factual, and least biased of the books I have read so far. While America's role in the war is coming to an end, this book will be valuable to the small contingent of soldiers and civilians deploying to Afghanistan as well as Americans seeking answers after 13 years of war.