ABSTRACT
Afghanistan has been plagued by wars and other violent conflicts throughout its history, the most recent of which has lasted for over three decades and has included foreign occupation, civil war, and insurgency. There is now a real chance for a peaceful conclusion to Afghanistan's protracted conflict, yet forces of fragmentation are still strong. Uncertainty over the peace process and the Taliban's resilience in the face of pressure from Afghan security forces have kept the security situation in Afghanistan as tense and complicated as it has been at any time in recent history. This research set out to analyze what the Taliban's return to Afghanistan means for the worldwide war on terrorism against this backdrop. This research is speculative because it only looks at the potential political, economic, and societal effects of a Taliban comeback. Despite foreign presence and occupation and a wide variety of international political forces, including allegiances to regional power, this study claims that Afghanistan has displayed a robust and resilient national identity, especially in the past. However, because of the Taliban's control, the country has multiple challenges that prevent it from thriving in the absence of international actors pushing assistance, stabilization, state-building, and development agendas. In light of the United States' posture of departure and the growing ascent of the Afghan Taliban, this research provides analytical insight on where key actors stand and their possible trajectory, with implications for other terrorist groups across the world. The study concludes that if the Taliban want to bring peace and sustained economic development to Afghanistan and raise the standard of life for the Afghan people, they need to learn more about the country's economic history, social values, and present-day requirements. In the same vein, the goal of economic policy should be to usher in a fundamental shift in the economy that paves the way for continued, sustainable growth and development. The international community's response can be mitigated if the Taliban chooses to focus on a small number of services it can and will provide effectively in the near future. However important law and order is, it is not sufficient on its own. Priorities should also be given to regulating trade and promoting education in addition to making steady progress on expanding infrastructure and delivering services, especially in the areas of road, power.
