Talibanology: Power, People and Policies

In this special episode of Talibanology, host Tamim Asey sits down with Dr. Sara Harmouch a leading terrorism expert and founder of H9 Defense and a Ph.D holder from the American University. She is a national security expert and counterterrorism researcher, she focuses on Islamist militant groups, irregular warfare, alliance dynamics, non-state actors’ behavior and their interactions with state actors. Raised in Lebanon and native in Arabic and French, she brings firsthand experience and fieldwork across the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe—engaging directly with members of extremist groups. Harmouch has briefed OSD, NATO, the State Department, Army Futures Command, and the Office of Net Assessment, and presented at West Point, Modern War Institute, and the 9/11 Memorial.Dr. Harmouch in this episode tries to unravel the dark and often overlooked dimensions of Taliban–Al-Qaeda relations. From their evolving partnership after the Doha Agreement to signs of Al-Qaeda’s rebuilding under Taliban protection Dr. Harmouch offers a rare and penetrating look at whether Afghanistan is once again becoming a global jihadist sanctuary. We also examine the risk of Al-Qaeda regaining external operational capability from Afghan soil and explore the long-standing ambitions of both groups to acquire weapons of mass destruction now potentially supercharged by emerging technologies such as LLMs and other amplifying technologies and in addition their quest to silently acquire long-range drones as well.This is a gripping and in-depth discussion on the nexus of ideology, strategy and technology in modern jihadist threats.Must listen.

What keeps the Taliban’s grip on power so firm—and what might unravel it from within?In this gripping season finale of Talibanology, host Tamim Asey is joined by Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown, a leading authority on non-state armed actors, insurgent governance and illicit economies. As Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and Director of several cutting-edge initiatives including:- Director of the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors- Director of The Fentanyl Epidemic in North America and the Global Reach of  Synthetic Opioids, and- Co-Director of the Africa Security Initiative. Dr. Felbab-Brown has spent years analyzing the Taliban’s shadowy networks, battlefield adaptations and criminal survival strategies.Together, we lift the veil on:•The internal power dynamics of the Taliban leadership.•Hidden factional rifts, rivalries and generational divides.•The regime’s growing narco economy and its regional enablers.•The ISKP threat and Taliban counterterrorism posturing.•The implications of Russia’s recognition and other creeping legitimization efforts.•The U.S. policy dilemma: contain, engage or ignore?Tune in for a rare 360-degree diagnosis of Taliban rule—from a scholar who has studied their metamorphosis up close, from insurgency to statecraft, from jihad to geopolitics.🎧 Available now on Apple, Spotify and all major platforms.

In this episode of Talibanology, host Tamim Asey is joined by Professor Dr. Amira Jadoon, Associate Professor at Clemson University and one of the foremost authorities on terrorism and insurgency dynamics in South and Central Asia.Drawing from her groundbreaking book The Islamic State in Afghanistan and Pakistan: Strategic Alliances and Rivalries (2023), Dr. Jadoon guides us through the complex and shifting landscape of jihadist militancy across the region. We delve into the rise of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), its evolving strategy, and its fierce rivalry with the Taliban, as well as the broader militant ecosystem shaping South Asia’s security future.From battlefield tactics to propaganda wars and from local alliances to international spillover attacks this episode maps the contours of an increasingly dangerous militant maze.Key Topics Covered:•ISKP’s current operational strength and territorial presence in Afghanistan and beyond•The Taliban’s intelligence and counterterrorism campaign — how effective is the GDI?•ISKP’s ideological and organisational links with Islamic State Central•The propaganda and narrative war between ISKP and the Taliban•The role of regional actors, including Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asian states, in shaping or responding to the ISKP-Taliban rivalry•ISKP’s transnational operations, including attacks in Russia, Iran, and potential future theatresTune in for a timely, deeply analytical conversation that connects field research, strategic insight and regional complexity—only on Talibanology.

In this powerful episode of Talibanology, host Tamim Asey is joined by Ambassador Annie Pforzheimer — former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Afghanistan and South Asia, and former Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.Drawing on her three decades in U.S. diplomacy, Annie offers a candid and insightful critique of America’s engagement with the Taliban—from flawed assumptions to policy missteps—and explores what’s next for U.S. strategy in the region.The conversation dives deep into:•The long-term viability of the Taliban Emirate•U.S. policy options: isolation, engagement, or recognition?•The fate of Afghan women, girls, and civil society•Counterterrorism priorities and regional dynamics•Lessons from the U.S. withdrawal and legacy of international involvementThis is a must-listen episode for anyone seeking clarity on where Afghanistan stands today—and where it may be headed tomorrow.

In this episode - Tamim Asey is joined by the world-renowned Taliban expert and Afghanistan historian Professor Michael Semple for a deep dive into the lives, leadership and legacy of the Taliban’s three Emirs: Mullah Omar, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor and Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada.Together, they explore how the Taliban craft myths around their leaders, the role of secrecy and decentralised governance and whether there’s any space for reform within the movement. The discussion also covers the worldviews of various Taliban Emirs, the prospects of a succession crisis, economic control and the group’s enduring oppression of women.A must-listen for anyone interested in the hidden world behind the Taliban’s rise, rule and resilience.Topics Covered:•Myth-making and charismatic authority of the Taliban emirs•Secrecy, decentralisation and internal power dynamics•The question of Taliban reform and moderation•Taliban foreign relations with Iran, China, Russia, and the West•Succession risks and internal fractures•How women’s rights are framed within Taliban ideologyTune in for an eye-opening conversation that goes beyond headlines to unpack the forces shaping Afghanistan today.

In this episode of Talibanology, podcast host Tamim Asey sits down with Emeritus Professor William Maley of the Australian National University—renowned scholar and author of The Afghanistan Wars, Rescuing Afghanistan, and What is a Refugee?Drawing on decades of expertise, Professor Maley offers a sharp and sobering comparison between the Taliban’s first regime in the 1990s and their current rule. Has the group truly transformed from an ideological insurgency into a functioning government—or is it a return to authoritarian basics under a more polished facade?The discussion goes beyond day-to-day Taliban rule dynamics to examine how the Taliban are reshaping Afghan society through social engineering, expanding internal surveillance and embedding the foundations of a 21st-century police state. We explore the collapse of the Afghan Republic, the failures of international diplomacy and the new strategic chessboard emerging in the region as powers like Iran, China, Pakistan, and Russia recalibrate in response.With clarity, historical depth and critical foresight, Professor Maley unpacks what’s at stake for Afghanistan’s future and why the world should be paying close attention.Tune in for a timely and thought-provoking conversation at the intersection of power, repression and regional geopolitics.

In this episode of Talibanology, we are joined by leading insurgency expert Dr. Antonio Giustozzi, author of The Taliban at War, The Islamic State in Khorasan, and Empires of Mud, to dissect the secretive architecture of Taliban power—its military evolution, intelligence apparatus, and internal security logic.We explore five critical themes:1.Militia in Uniform? The Myth and Reality of Taliban Military TransformationHas the Taliban truly transformed from a fragmented militia into an organised national army—or is it still a network of local commanders and fighters draped in the façade of a professional force?2.The Rise of the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI)How was the Taliban’s internal intelligence body built? Is it a serious institutional actor or an ideological enforcer mimicking the statecraft of former Afghan regimes?3.Guerrilla Logic in a State’s ClothingHas the Taliban adapted its insurgent mindset to state governance—or is it simply repackaging guerrilla doctrine under the guise of a functioning state?4.The ISKP Threat and the Taliban’s Counterinsurgency PlaybookIs the Taliban genuinely concerned about ISKP’s rise, or does it exaggerate the threat to tighten its own grip on power and extract concessions from the international community?5.Surveillance, Suspicion, and Internal ControlHow much of the Emirate’s intelligence infrastructure is devoted to monitoring its own ranks? Are paranoia and factionalism quietly tearing through the Taliban from within?Finally, we ask:Is reform within the Taliban even possible—or is the only real path to change through an internal implosion or the removal of the Emir himself?Dr. Giustozzi brings decades of field research and piercing analysis to help us make sense of a regime that rules by fear, secrecy, and a state-in-the-making security complex.Tune in to this unflinching look at how the Taliban governs—not just through guns and decrees but through spies, suspicion and silence.

In this episode of Talibanology, host Tamim Asey sits down with the brilliant Dr. Jennifer Murtazashvili, Director of the Center for Governance and Markets at the University of Pittsburgh and author of Informal Order and the State in Afghanistan. A leading thinker on governance and post-conflict statecraft, Dr. Murtazashvili brings deep insight into the intersection of local authority, foreign engagement and Afghan political futures.Together, they explore the Taliban’s evolving foreign policy and ask:•Does the Taliban have a grand strategy—or is it just playing whack-a-mole with the world?•Who truly drives external relations—Kandahar clerics, Kabul-based technocrats, or the Haqqani network?They map out the regional chessboard:•How are Central Asia, China, Russia, and India recalibrating their engagement with the Emirate?•Has Pakistan moved from patron to frustrated neighbour?The conversation also covers:•The role of Qatar and the UN as Western and U.S. conduits to the Taliban•The evolving U.S. policy toward the Emirate post-withdrawal•The status and potential role of the Afghan diaspora in shaping Afghanistan’s futureFinally, they confront the central question: Is the Taliban reformable, or simply waiting out global pressure with “strategic patience”?A wide-ranging, no-holds-barred conversation you won’t want to miss.

In the debut episode of Talibanology, host Tamim Asey sits down with Dr. Hassan Abbas—renowned scholar of the Taliban and South Asian security—for a gripping conversation on the internal dynamics of the Taliban regime. We unpack rival power centres within the Emirate, governance challenges, economic sustainability, and the group’s regional strategy and ties to terrorist networks.We also explore provocative questions: What would happen if the Taliban Emir were assassinated? How does the normalization of former jihadists like Ahmad Sharaa impact Taliban thinking? Is internal revolt brewing, and can the Afghan diaspora play a meaningful role in shaping a political future?A must-listen for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the opaque world of Taliban rule.

Welcome aboard!