Afghanistan is often called the crossroads of Central Asia. Its strategically important location has made it an ideal trade and invasion route for centuries. As a result, its history has been turbulent. Conquerors from the West passed through this region to reach the Indian subcontinent, and Hindu empires extended their territories from the East through the same routes. The armies of King Darius, Alexander the Great, Kushan King Kanishka, Genghis Khan, the Shahi rulers of India, Muslim rulers, and the British all marched through the area to reach their goals of colonizing these lands and those beyond.

Modern-day Afghanistan began in 1747 as part of Ahmad Shah Durrani’s empire in a monarchy that lasted until 1973. During the 19th century, Afghanistan was the buffer zone between the British and Russian Empires in their “Great Game,” but after defeating them in three wars, Afghanistan gained independence from Britian in 1919. Successive Pashtun kings ruled until 1973, when a coup and the beginning of today’s civil war first began. The Soviet occupation of 1979–1989 and the U.S. invasion of 2001 brought further instability and insecurity to the region as warring guerrilla factions vied for influence in the power vacuum. The Taliban had brought some semblance of peace to the nation, but as a radical Islamic organization they violated human rights and had an extremist militant agenda of their own. Today, allies in the war against terror are assessing and increasing their efforts to fight the Taliban insurgency.

This book contains a 40+ page textual introduction by the Defense Language Institute. The introduction is followed by 566 pages  / slides of historic, cultural, military and other pertinent information in text, photos, matrices, maps and more, produced by TRADOC to help individuals prepare for military deployment.

The last chapter is a 34 minute video. The Country in Perspective video series by the Defense Language Institute offers an overview of a country from a geographical, historical, economic, societal, and security perspective. From early history through the modern day, you will learn about influences that shaped the country and its people. Topics include: Introduction, Geography, History, Economy, Society, Security and Final Assessment.