A Brief History of Afghanistan examines this country's isolation and how it found itself involved in 30 years of war and anarchy. This 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.