Steve Coll, writer for The New Yorker and author of the book Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001, discusses the revival of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Generals in Afghanistan are
predicting a major Taliban offensive this Spring. This seems certain, but the
Taliban is a complex organization with political and military aspects. Its
appeals to radical religious ideology and Pashtun resentments resonate on both
sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border. The briefing and discussion will review the
Taliban’s sources of support on both sides of the border, as well as NATO’s
options.
