No Sign Until the Burst of Fire. Understanding the Pakistan-Afghanistan Frontier

Abstract

This article explores the reasons why religious and political extremism in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region ends neatly at the borders of the Pashtun lands. It begins with a brief overview of the geography and typography of the border, followed by a condensed study of the key ethnographic and cultural factors. An understanding of the tribal and social framework of the border, particularly its alternative forms of governance, is critical to the subsequent discussion of the current instability and radicalization. In addition to religion, tribal mores that predate Islam shape insurgent behavior and should inform all aspects of engagement on both sides of the border. The article concludes with an examination of the history and the unintended consequences of border politics, and offers policy recommendations to begin to reverse the ongoing slide into Talibanization.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2008
Accession Number
ADA541606

Entities

People

  • M. C. Mason
  • Thomas H. Johnson

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Army Personnel
  • Central Asia
  • Department Of State
  • Ethnic Groups
  • Families (Human)
  • Geography
  • Man Borne Improvised Explosive Devices
  • National Governments
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Political Systems
  • Societies
  • South Asia
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.