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The '''Taliban''' ("students" in Arabic) are an [[Islam]]ic [[fundamentalist]]<ref>http://standupforamerica.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/taliban-shooting.jpg</ref> movement which exercised rule over most of [[Afghanistan]] from 1996 until 2001, when [[United States]] forces in conjunction with NATO (See: [[North Atlantic Treaty Organisation]]) invaded Afghanistan and removed them from their center of power .<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> The cause for the American invasion (See: [[Invasion of Afghanistan]]) was the assertion that the Taliban either passively or actively allowed [[al-Qaeda]] (a militant international Islamist terrorist organization)(See: [[Islamic Terrorism]]) use of Afghanian territory to plot, train, and conduct terrorist activities across sovereign international borders.

The '''Taliban''' ("students" in Arabic) are an [[Islam]]ic [[fundamentalist]]<ref>http://standupforamerica.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/taliban-shooting.jpg</ref> movement which exercised rule over most of [[Afghanistan]] from 1996 until 2001, when [[United States]] forces in conjunction with NATO (See: [[North Atlantic Treaty Organisation]]) invaded Afghanistan and removed them from their center of power .<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> The cause for the American invasion (See: [[Invasion of Afghanistan]]) was the assertion that the Taliban either passively or actively allowed [[al-Qaeda]] (a militant international Islamist terrorist organization)(See: [[Islamic Terrorism]]) use of Afghanian territory to plot, train, and conduct terrorist activities across sovereign international borders.

The Taliban fighters were educated in [[wahhabist]] "madrassahs" (religious schools) in [[Pakistan]], which explains the strong connection with neighboring Pakistani provinces. Education in a Wahhabist "madrassahs" emphasises the theological role of religious war ("[[Jihad]]") , to be waged defensively in the case of invasion into "muslim land", or offensively at the call of the [[Caliph]].

The Taliban fighters were educated in [[wahhabist]] "madrassahs" (religious schools) in [[Pakistan]] (See: [[Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan]]), which explains the strong connection with neighboring Pakistani provinces. Education in a Wahhabist "madrassahs" emphasises the theological role of religious war ("[[Jihad]]") , to be waged defensively in the case of invasion into "muslim land", or offensively at the call of the [[Caliph]].

The Taliban had close links to separatist insurgents in the [[Russian Federation]] province of  [[Chechnya]]. The Chechan seperatists waged  two bloody wars in 1994 and 2000 against the Russian Federal government (See: [[Chechen Wars]]). Chechen fighters solidified the link to their Taliban allies by aiding them in their current struggle against the NATO occupation. Anecdotally, it has been noted that the Chechnyans are valued by the Taliban military commanders, as they have extensive training and experience in the operation of Soviet heavy weapons against high value targets. .<ref>http://muslimvillage.net/story.php?id=370</ref>  

The Taliban had close links to separatist insurgents in the [[Russian Federation]] province of  [[Chechnya]]. The Chechan seperatists waged  two bloody wars in 1994 and 2000 against the Russian Federal government (See: [[Chechen Wars]]). Chechen fighters solidified the link to their Taliban allies by aiding them in their current struggle against the NATO occupation. Anecdotally, it has been noted that the Chechnyans are valued by the Taliban military commanders, as they have extensive training and experience in the operation of Soviet heavy weapons against high value targets. .<ref>http://muslimvillage.net/story.php?id=370</ref>