This book traces the origins of Islamic influence in what was, in ancient times, the holy lands of Zoroastrianism and Buddhism. It takes the reader through the cultural, political, and religious changes over the last 2000 years. It covers the rise of radical Islam in that region, along with the origins of the Taliban in the 1800s, during the British presence, to the present. The Afghans have always battled foreign powers since their invasion by Alexander of Macedonia and are still fighting the influence of the USA and its allies in the region.