Background. Afghanistan and its neighbors to the north are frontline states in the struggle between radical Islamic fundamentalism and secular governments. It has also been the scene of a prolonged and brutal civil war, and it has experienced the most extreme forms of geopolitical tension in the region.
History. The country came under Soviet domination in the late 1970s. Afghanistan's issues started in 1978 when a Soviet military group took control of the country. It immediately started rebellion because the Soviet group was suppressing religion. They were almost overthrown, which then caused the Soviet Union to initiate a massive invasion. They were never able to gain full control of the country because the rebels had support from anti-Soviet countries such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. The Soviets left Afghanistan in 1989 after not being able to take control, and local warlords took control and destroyed central authority.
Taliban. In 1995, a group of young Muslims started a movement called the Taliban. Not agreeing with the anarchy that was going on, they believed the best way to govern the country was with enforcement of Islamic law. By September 2001, the Taliban had control over the whole country except the far Northeastern corner. That was still controlled by a group called the Northern Alliance that continued to hold back the Taliban, but also continued to lose land. Also at this time most of the people in Afghanistan started to turn against the Taliban because of their severe restrictions and control over their way of life.
Current Conflicts. Afghanistan's relationship with Pakistan had once been very close, but it started to get worse when Pakistan sided with the United States in the anti-Taliban movement and began supplying the U.S. with military intelligence about the Taliban. Afghanistan also has an issue with the border with Pakistan. The Afghan people feel that the Pashtun-speaking parts of Pakistan should be part of Afghanistan.
Current Conflicts. Afghanistan's relationship with Pakistan had once been very close, but it started to get worse when Pakistan sided with the United States in the anti-Taliban movement and began supplying the U.S. with military intelligence about the Taliban. Afghanistan also has an issue with the border with Pakistan. The Afghan people feel that the Pashtun-speaking parts of Pakistan should be part of Afghanistan.