Afghanistan - Always on the Brink of War

Men have also been beaten or fined for dress code violations or for having beards that are too short. (Human Rights Watch, 2001, p. 21).
             Since the Taliban's removal from power, Afghanistan has had many changes for the positive. Yet, the Taliban are still a definitive force in politics and are a key party to reckon with in planning the future of the country. To date, multiple efforts between NATO and the U.S. towards negotiating peaceful resolutions between the Karzai administration and the Taliban have not resulted in any peaceful accords.
             While the negotiations for peace continue in earnest to be completed before the 2014 withdrawal deadline, the Taliban have been improving their foothold in the country and have been able to see their influence grow significantly. International Crisis Group, a nongovernmental organisation, in a 2011 report on insurgency in Afghanistan, outlines the activities by the Taliban and other insurgent groups. Of particular note is that the Taliban have set up shadow governments which "operate as parallel governments, administering taxes, settling disputes and distributing power through the appointment of local military commanders. "(The insurgency in Afghanistan's heartland - Asia Report No. 207, 2011, p. 8) Such activities diminish the official administration's power and ability to govern the typically rural areas where the insurgent factions wield more power. .
             Perhaps the most telling statement about the Taliban's intentions is captured in a 2010 interview with a former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan who indicates that the ".Taliban leaders have repeatedly characterised their relations with al-Qaeda as an alliance that is fundamental to their overall mission of installing an Islamic emirate in Afghanistan. (The insurgency in Afghanistan's heartland - Asia Report No. 207, 2011, p. 20).
             The report also outlines how the Taliban are successfully recruiting people due to a variety of factors such as poverty, broken promises by the government, and a resistance towards the foreign forces who are perceived as invaders of Afghanistan serving their own purposes.