Afghanistan is one of the most isolated barren landscapes on earth and for three superpowers (the world has ever seen) an unlikely target, an enduring obsession, and unwinnable war.

19th Century (1801 - 1900)

The period of diplomatic competition between the British Empire and the Russian Empire. Afghanistan was unfortunately caught in the middle of two expansions into Central Asia. The funny thing is that Britishers named this expansion “Great Game” and the Russians being Russian, named it “Tournament of Shadows”. The first colonial establishment was done by Britishers and the Afghans fought and fought hard, as they are known for, and drove them out of their backyards.

20th Century (1901-2000)

Nothing much happened between 1901 to 1978 and no other nation can boast about being peaceful for this long especially in the 20th century. Even during the first world war Afghanistan was a neutral country. Then started the shitty game of Geopolitical control, because if a nation is living peacefully for some time, it does not appease the “so-called superpowers”.

Let's start with the Soviet-Afghan war which started in 1979 and ended with the withdrawal of USSR troops in 1989, which was mostly due to Afghan Mujahideen (supported by the US through covert operation named"Cyclone"). Post that the Afghan Mujahideen took control but the country was slowly going towards a full-blown civil war which came at its peak in 1992. Several small factions were formed which fought among themselves for territorial control. 

Who/what is the Taliban?

A group of like-minded conservative students from Afghanistan, Pakistan and other neighboring countries. They came to the forefront in 1994 when the country was into civil wars, thanks to the funding of different groups backed by different countries.

What was the Taliban's Goal?

To establish an Islamic government in Afghanistan, in 1996 they captured Kabul and declared the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and implemented Islamic Law very strictly. The law that they imposed was very restrictive.

They are an insurgency who fought international occupation and an illegitimate puppet government.

When did America get involved?

The answer is simple after the 9/11 attack on American soil, they did not give a rat's ass till they were not directly attacked. After the attack, they desperately wanted Al-Qaeda's leader Osama Bin Laden who was the chief perpetrator of the attacks. According to the intelligence sources Osama was hiding in Afghanistan with the help of the Taliban. They back channeled and talked with the Taliban to hand Osama over and they will leave the Taliban with their oppressive regime alone, but the Taliban refused, hence America being America with its pride hurt, INVADED.

The Taliban and structure of parallel government?

Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada - Leader since 2016 , ultimate authority on political, religous and military affairs.

Deputies - Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar (Deputy political officer and co-founder of Taliban) along with Mullah Muhammad Yakoob and Sirajuddin Haqqani.

Senior Judge - Mullah Abdul Hakeem

The Taliban may have started as being highly disorganized but they formed a full-fledged parallel government, they had a department of Military, Intelligence, Political, Economic and 13 others.

How does the Taliban receive funding/Money?

According to a UN Security council report of 2020, the Taliban made 1.5 billion dollars a year. So how did they do it, they started by selling :

1. Drugs - Opium (remember Udta Punjab) and the drugs made their way to Pakistan, the EU, India and other countries through Black Market.
2. Minerals - Rare elements such as lanthanum, cerium, neodymium and quantities of gold, aluminum, silver, zinc, mercury and lithium.
3. Exports - Dried raisins, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, apricot, cherry and watermelons to name a few).
4. Taxes - With the parallel government came the parallel Tax system, they controlled most of the highways and for a barren land such as Afghanistan, highways are a lifeline. They collected taxes from the highway system, food, fuel, cellphone towers (in the context of blowing them up), kidnapping for ransom.
5. Funding from other Governments.

What Taliban promises?

Peace and stability and safety of Afghans, in the recent statements they have also turned a notch down on the schooling of girls, working of women and they have promised the world that Afghan land will not be a haven for terrorists.

How does the general public see the Taliban?

The general public still sees them as Elephant's teeth, they are showing something and they are doing something else. This mistrust is due to the past cruelty and the Sharia law they promise to implement. During their earlier rule, they confined women to their homes, banned Television and Music, held public executions.

Many unanswered question still looms on how life will be for general people, they are in a state of panic and they have reasons of not to trust Taliban for a word they say, they know the world made life hell for them after abandonment.In the world of Geopolitics, profits and national interest of powerful and rich nations far outweigh the lives of general public in third world countries.