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The '''Taliban''' is a Sunni [[Islam]]ic [[fundamentalist]] movement which effectively ruled most of [[Afghanistan]] from 1996 until 2001, when [[United States]] forces invaded Afghanistan and overthrew them. It started as the one of the armed Afghan factions funded by the [[CIA]] during the Afghan conflict against Soviet Union.<ref>http://www.isreview.org/issues/20/ahmed_afghanistan.shtml</ref> The Taliban allowed [[al-Qaeda]] (a militant [[Sunni]] Islamist organization) use of Afghan territory to plot, train, and conduct terrorist activities across sovereign international borders.  

The '''Taliban''' (literally, "students") are a fanatically intolerant [[Islam]]ic [[fundamentalist]] movement which exercised rule over most of [[Afghanistan]] from 1996 until 2001, when [[United States]] forces invaded Afghanistan and overthrew them.<ref> Retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely said, "We took down the Taliban in the fall of 2001, in 34 days with 100 men." [http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080303/NATION/250209854/1001&template=nextpage] </ref>

It started as the one of the armed Afghan factions funded by the [[CIA]] during the Afghan conflict against Soviet Union.<ref>http://www.isreview.org/issues/20/ahmed_afghanistan.shtml</ref> The Taliban allowed [[al-Qaeda]] (a militant [[Sunni]] Islamist organization) use of Afghan territory to plot, train, and conduct terrorist activities across sovereign international borders.  

The Taliban had close links to separatist terrorists in Chechnya, and this resulted in two bloody wars since 1994, as the [[Russian]] government fought to suppress the terrorists.  Chechen terrorists also fought for the Taliban against U.S. forces in Afghanistan.  The Chechens also had links to [[Al Qaeda]].[http://muslimvillage.net/story.php?id=370]  The Taliban retains control of substantial tracts of Afghanistan to this day, and continues to co-ordinate attacks against the Afghan government and supporting coalition forces. Many of the Taliban leaders and foot-solders are now believed to be based in [[Pakistan]] where they can launch attacks into Afghanistan or train for attacks elsewhere<ref>http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/07/terror-commande.html</ref>.     

The Taliban had close links to separatist terrorists in Chechnya, and this resulted in two bloody wars since 1994, as the [[Russian]] government fought to suppress the terrorists.  Chechen terrorists also fought for the Taliban against U.S. forces in Afghanistan.  The Chechens also had links to [[Al Qaeda]].[http://muslimvillage.net/story.php?id=370]  The Taliban retains control of substantial tracts of Afghanistan to this day, and continues to co-ordinate attacks against the Afghan government and supporting coalition forces. Many of the Taliban leaders and foot-solders are now believed to be based in [[Pakistan]] where they can launch attacks into Afghanistan or train for attacks elsewhere<ref>http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/07/terror-commande.html</ref>.