Economic and Oil roots:

FAV The Mess in East Africa and Afghanistan is Partly the fault of the U.S. Government - by William O. Beeman
Why was the U.S. supporting the Taliban before the events of 9-11? "The answer to this part of the question has nothing to do with religion or ethnicity--only with the economics of oil."

Unocal Claims Victory On Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline
Taliban wants way more money for their participation than Western oil corporations believe is reasonable

Pipeline via Afghanistan may end fighting in Central Asia
A Sept.2000 column claiming that "Military opposition in Central Asia will begin to subside in the twinkling of an eye" with the influx of oil money

America's Push on the Caspian Pipeline is Not Good Sense for the Oil Companies - by Jonathan Power
An outline of global power struggles over Caspian oil