Afghanistan

Active: Long term active conflict since late 1970s. Currently: Islamist jihadis (Taliban, al Qaeda) against NATO and allied Afghan warlords.

Internal rivalry between Pashtuns, Uzbeks, Tajiks and Hazara over power and the interpretation of Islam’s social rules (Northern Alliance against the Taliban 1996-2001)

Afghanistan is Sunni 74%, Shi’a 15%, others 10%, with shifting tribal and regional allegiances.

This is a global geostrategic conflict with religious undertones, involving al Qaeda (radical Sunni Islamists) against Western secularism (primarily USA) and the Saudi establishment.

Nationally, it is a conflict between the Pashtun Taliban and other ethnic groups and warlords, with shifting alliances. This problem arises from the division of the Pashtum area in NW Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan, especially in the 19th C British Raj.

Recent history: Soviet invasion 1979-89 (1-2m deaths, supporting secular modernisers); mujahidin government and civil war 1992-96 (100,000 deaths, against foreign interventionism); Taliban rule with relative peace 1996-2001 (Pashtun fundamentalists against other warlords); foreign invasion (44,000 troops, deaths unknown) and the Karzai government 2001 to today (secular modernising influence).

The country is heavily mined, hosting a virulent drugs trade dominated by warlords and financing conservative regimes and weapons. Displaced people: 4m; amputees: 100,000. Conflict is likely to continue for some years, due to its complexity and local and geostrategic tensions.

During 2008 Taliban influence has extended, reducing government and NATO influence to the main cities and limited areas. Food price rises in 2008 helped shift farmers from opium growing into increased food-production. NATO's military approach is strongly under question, since it has alienated ordinary Afghans, thus far failing to bring order and development.

Links:

A Brief History of Afghanistan
History Guy: War in Afghanistan
New Internationalist Country Guide
One World Guides
Reuters Crisis Profiles
Wikipedia:Afghanistan