Translated roughly, Taliban means "students" or "seekers of knowledge," though by now the term holds a much more loaded meaning to many around the globe.
The current rulers of Afghanistan, the Taliban would be considered a repressive regime by virtually any measure. Women enjoy virtually no rights in Afghanistan, where they are not allowed to attend school, work or even hang out in most public spaces. Public executions are routine under the Taliban and citizens can receive corporal punishment for crimes as minor as not sporting the correct length beard. Viewing of secular movies or television is strictly forbidden and western entertainment such as MTV is particularly unacceptable. Even seemingly harmless activities such as dancing and kite flying are not allowed.
The Taliban justify these rules through their reactionary, fundamentalist interpretation of the teachings of Islam. They virulently oppose the rise of western culture, which they view as decadent and an affront to God. They condemn any tangible signs of the West that impose on what they view to be the lands of Islam, among these being the state of Israel. Eliminating the Jewish state is a prominent part of their ideological agenda.
When Soviet troops packed up and left Afghanistan in 1989 after an unsuccessful 10-year attempt to gain control of the country, a power vacuum emerged. After an armed struggle, the Taliban seized the capital city of Kabul in 1996. Today, they rule all but the northeasternmost region of the country, which is controlled by a coalition of rebels known as the Northern Alliance (see "What Is Afghanistan's Northern Alliance?").
The Taliban have become the center of the world's attention and the object of U.S. wrath over the past month for their role in harboring terrorists, specifically Osama bin Laden. In the weeks leading up to the U.S.-led attacks on Afghanistan, President Bush demanded that they turn over bin Laden or be considered enemies of the United States. The leaders of the Taliban chose the latter course and the bombings began.
Despite their notoriety, knowledge about specific members of the group is still relatively patchy, though their leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, is a recluse who rarely makes public statements, and then only through aides.
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