The great enigma: Afghanistan in historical context -- 9/11 and the response, 11-25 September 2001 -- "Boots on the ground": from the arrival of the CIA to the emergency Loya Jirga, 26 September 2001-June 2002 -- "Taking the eye off the ball?" The roots of Taliban revival in Afghanistan, 2002-05 -- Return to the "forgotten war, " 2006-08 -- The Pakistan problem -- Silver bullets and the search for an exit, 2009-11.