Correspondent Ahmed Rashid brings the shadowy world of the Taliban-the world's most extreme and radical Islamic organization-into sharp focus in this enormously insightful book. Rashid offers the only authoritative account of the Taliban available to English-language readers, explaining the Taliban's rise to power, its impact on Afghanistan and the Middle East and Central Asia, its role in oil and gas company decisions, and the effects of changing American attitudes toward the Taliban. He also describes the new face of Islamic fundamentalism and explains why Afghanistan has become the world center for international terrorism.

New to this updated edition of the #1 New York Times Bestseller with more than 1.5 million copies sold worldwide:

*How the Taliban has regained its strength
*How and why the Taliban has spread across Central Asia
*How the Taliban has helped Al'Qaida's spread into Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East
*Why the Afghan people feel the United States is losing the war
*A major new introduction and an all-new final chapter