This course will deal with the Taliban and how they became rulers of Afghanistan for a second time and what roles various Afghan factions and international and regional players had in this outcome. It will also examine possible scenarios for the future. All the super and regional powers misjudged the political and military situation. Arrogance combined with cultural blinders on the nature of the peoples of Afghanistan worsened an already dire situation and kept the conflict alive. Afghans, non-Taliban and Taliban alike, were the main victims and suffered more than any of their friends or enemies. The situation in Afghanistan is unstable today and will remain so in the future. The people of Afghanistan have yet to decide their own future.

Recommended Reading: Elliot Ackerman, The Fifth Act Americas End in Afghanistan

Registration deadline: March 20