Challenge: Secular and stable Afghanistan

Hmm why not!
But it requires that the Taliban get rid of Ben Laden and his cronies (a inner coup againt Mullah Omar?), and accept to play a wiser game with the westerners (no Bamyan Buddhas destruction would help).
With the support of the Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and with backing from large companies like Unocal, they can be able to consolidate their grip over the country. But it's going to be a bloody mess for some years!
 
I think that people in this thread are simplifying the Taleban too much.

The current president of Afghanistan is an ex-Taleban fighter who is backed by Coalition Forces.

:)
 
Well if Karzai was at the beginning a supporter of the Taliban, he certainly was not one of them (look at his background! very different from Mullah Omar and Co). I would say that he is a moderate conservative islamist, like Rabbani.
 
Well if Karzai was at the beginning a supporter of the Taliban, he certainly was not one of them (look at his background! very different from Mullah Omar and Co). I would say that he is a moderate conservative islamist, like Rabbani.

When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan Karzai was studying in India. He originally wanted to return to Afghanistan to take up arms against the 'foriegn invader'. He decided that he could best serve his country by completing his education. During this time he began working with the US and the ISI in order to gain weapons etc for the Mujahadeen. Later on, in order to gain respect from the Mujahadeen he was working with he indeed went and took part in the fighting.

If you do a search on the threads I've made there is one entitled Hamed Karzai. The OP's I've read myself and I think will give you a better understanding.

:)
 
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Yup, but why did you said that Karzai was an ex Taleban fighter?
The Talibans emerged from the madrasas of the FATA in the beginning of the 90ies.
Karzai at the time was working in Kabul as a government official If I remind correctly.
 
Yup, but why did you said that Karzai was an ex Taleban fighter?
The Talibans emerged from the madrasas of the FATA in the beginning of the 90ies.
Karzai at the time was working in Kabul as a government official If I remind correctly.

I used the terms Mujahadeen and Taleban interchangably, it was wrong of me to do so in this instance because I can't recall everything from the biography of Karzai I read and therefore can't properly quantify my position.

:)
 
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