Radical Islam, Jihad and Civil War in Afghanistan

Abstract

This article studies the emergence of radical Islam in the immediate post-World War II period in Afghanistan. It examines how the struggle for political hegemony and cultural domination of the country spurred the resurgence of militant Islamic ideology and politics in the 1960s and 1970s. The article also explores the role of Islamic militancy during the war of national liberation which forced the Soviets to withdraw their forces from Afghanistan after a decade of occupation (1979-1989).
Also discussed is the inability of the leaders of Islamic parties to reconcile their philosophical differences and unite around a common political agenda to rebuild the war-tom country. It shows how continued armed struggle for power among various Islamic groups eventually led to the total destruction of the country’s infrastructure in the immediate post-Soviet era and suggests what should be done to maintain unity and stability.