CONTENTS: Preface, The Prehistoric Times, The Historic Period before the Arrival of Islam, Enter Alexander III of Macedon, The Kushanid Empire and the Spread of Buddhism in Aryana, Rule of the Umayyad, the First Muslim Conquest of the Region, The Ghurid Empire and Its Influence of Islam, Afghanistan Evolves as an Independent Country, The Sikh-Afghan Wars, The British-Afghan Wars, The Durand Line is Created by the British, The Character of Afghanistan, Origins of the ‘Democratic Republic of Afghanistan’, ‘The Axis of Terror’—Afghanistan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Taliban in the 19th Century, Pakistan’s Support of Taliban, Pakistani Army and the ISI Support to the Taliban, The First International Recognition of the Taliban, The Fundamentalist Structure of the Taliban, Saudi Arabia and Its Support to the Taliban, Qatar and Its Support to the Taliban, Operation Enduring Freedom the Invasion of Afghanistan, The US Withdrawal from Afghanistan, The Taliban Leadership Structure, Taliban of the 21st Century, Governance by the Good, the Bad and the Committed, The Taliban in 2024, Financial Uncertainty and the ‘War on Women’, International Relationships of the Taliban, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (aka Pakistani Taliban), Status of the Current Taliban Rule in Afghanistan, Taliban and the Al-Qaeda Friendship, Engaging with the Taliban in Current Times, Conclusion, The Taliban Leadership, Annexure: Origins of the Violent Jihadi Ideology, References, Index.