| − | The '''Taliban''' (طالبان, "students" in Pashto) are a fanatically intolerant [[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]] [[Afghanistan War|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> because they had either passively or actively allowed [[al-Qaeda]], a militant international [[Islamic terrorism|Islamist terrorist]] organization, to use Afghan territory to plot, train, and conduct international terrorist activities. | + | The '''Taliban''' (طالبان, "students" in Pashto) are a fanatically intolerant [[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]] [[Afghanistan War|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." [https://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080303/NATION/250209854/1001&template=nextpage]</ref> because they had either passively or actively allowed [[al-Qaeda]], a militant international [[Islamic terrorism|Islamist terrorist]] organization, to use Afghan territory to plot, train, and conduct international terrorist activities. |
| | The Taliban fighters were educated in [[Wahhabi]] ''madrassas'' (religious schools) in [[Pakistan]] (See: [[Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan]]), which emphasize the theological role of religious war ([[jihad]]), to be waged defensively against unbelievers who have invaded formerly Muslim lands or offensively at the call of the [[Caliph]]. | | The Taliban fighters were educated in [[Wahhabi]] ''madrassas'' (religious schools) in [[Pakistan]] (See: [[Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan]]), which emphasize the theological role of religious war ([[jihad]]), to be waged defensively against unbelievers who have invaded formerly Muslim lands or offensively at the call of the [[Caliph]]. |