Afghanistan has long been considered a remote and uninviting country to all but its closest neighbors. This lightly populated agricultural and pastoral nation has guarded its independence in the age of European imperialism thanks in large part to its limited perceived value. Political isolation - reinforced by a conservative tribal culture - kept most of the cultural and economic changes of the modern world at bay. Slowly, however, modern ways and values began to penetrate into the capital city of Kabul.

A Brief History of Afghanistan, Second Edition examines this country's isolation and how it found itself involved in 30 years of war and anarchy. This updated resource provides extensive background information so readers can understand the issues and make informed judgments of their own. Offering a clear, concise account of this country's historical and cultural heritage, from 3000 BCE to the present, this insightful book explores the culture and politics of the Pashtun tribes whose homeland extends across much of Afghanistan and northern Pakistan, as well as the Taliban insurgency and the relationship between local leaders and the central government in Kabul.

Coverage includes:

The rise of Islam to the establishment of the Afghan state
The birth of modern Afghanistan
The 20th-century monarchy
Two revolutions
Soviet Afghanistan
Afghanistan in rebellion
Mujahideen rule
The Taliban era
Afghanistan under Karzai
The Taliban resurgence.