The American bombing of terrorist bases in Afghanistan under the protection of the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban movement has brought the Taliban into focus as the most radical and extreme Islamic movement in the world. The movement, its leaders and its aims are surrounded by secrecy. This study considers the geo-strategic implications of the Taliban, which are already creating severe instability in Russia, Iran and the five central Asian republics where the Taliban has become a major player as western countries and companies compete to build oil and gas pipelines to western and Asian markets. The Taliban's implementation of their extreme interpretation of Islam poses new challenges to the Muslim world and the West's understanding of radical Islam.