103
votes
Why are the Taliban winning against the Afghan army?
Corruption is rampant in Afghanistan, including in the military. They routinely take bribes and sell military equipment to the Taliban. Basically, the average ANA soldier is there just to collect a ...
- 7,585
81
votes
Accepted
Why are the Taliban winning against the Afghan army?
There are multiple reasons behind this (in addition to the corruption of the Afghanistan government).
Firstly, the Taliban is not some foreign movement that tried to gain a foothold in Afghanistan, it ...
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79
votes
Why is China interested in supporting the Taliban?
One reason is that China is investing a significant amount in trying to build a land corridor through Pakistan to access ports in the Indian ocean as part of their belt and road initiative.
China is ...
- 7,453
77
votes
Why are the Taliban winning against the Afghan army?
This article in the Guardian today answers precisely this question:
It is a tale of two armies, one poorly equipped but highly motivated ideologically, and the other nominally well-equipped, but ...
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73
votes
Accepted
Why do the Taliban not try to conquer the Kabul Airport?
Here are two main reasons.
Firstly, Taliban wants to seek international recognition and not govern as a pariah. Gaining international recognition may potentially lead to the lifting of sanctions, ...
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71
votes
Why has 20 years of US occupation not removed the Taliban in Afghanistan?
TL;DR: The Taliban has lasted for so long because it has a durable organizational structure and safe haven in Pakistan. Undercutting the Taliban is more complicated than rooting out its network of ...
- 1,077
60
votes
Accepted
Why has 20 years of US occupation not removed the Taliban in Afghanistan?
The Taliban are not just a drug-running organization, not even predominantly a drug-running organization.
The US-led coalition invaded Afghanistan because the Afghan government at the time sheltered ...
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58
votes
Why do the Taliban not try to conquer the Kabul Airport?
That's literally the last thing a rational Taliban decision maker would want to do.
20 years after getting kicked out the Taliban are back in power. They did just fine oppressing Afghans from 1994 to ...
52
votes
Did the U.S. lose the war against the Taliban?
Yes. Unquestionably. They left their enemy in control.
Word games about military dominance in the field are besides the point in a guerrilla war. That kind of sophistry has been tried on Vietnam ...
45
votes
What's the difference between paying someone to kill another country's soldiers, and arming that someone to kill another country's soldiers?
When a nation provides arms to another nation, there is at least the pretense that the recipient will use those weapons in accordance with international law (i.e. defensively in accordance with ...
- 100k
42
votes
Why is China interested in supporting the Taliban?
Fact is, the new Taliban government is there to stay. Both the Russians and NATO took their shots at trying to keep Afghanistan under control. Both gave up eventually. Now the Chinese want to have ...
- 72.4k
39
votes
Does the Taliban government of Afghanistan have a written legal code?
This Q is pretty narrow in its title, but then asks more generally
My question is really whether it is just that - that local officials make whatever decisions they think most aligns with their ...
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34
votes
Accepted
What are the differences among ISIS, Al-Qaeda and the Taliban?
TLDR:
Persecute civilians locally
Attack civilians in Western countries
Military operations
Can be engageddiplomatically
Taliban
✔✔ (1994-2001)2021+: ???
allowed Al Qaeda operationsleading to 9/11
✔✔...
33
votes
Are there any reliable indications on popular sentiment in Afghanistan for/against the Taliban?
Are there any reliable indications on popular sentiment in Afghanistan for/against the Taliban?
The sentiment is largely against the Taliban. From Bloomberg, The World Told Afghan Women It Had Their ...
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32
votes
Why do the Taliban not try to conquer the Kabul Airport?
You implicitly assume that both:
The Taliban could successfully overrun the Kabul airport
The Taliban believe they could overrun the airport, to a high degree of confidence
The Taliban have excelled ...
- 479
31
votes
Accepted
Which countries have welcomed the Taliban takeover/victory in Kabul?
TL;DR: We could probably conclude that all countries that oppose the US and/or India are quite welcoming of the Taliban i.e Pakistan, Russia, and China. Some of the Gulf countries have said they ...
- 612
29
votes
Accepted
What's the point of continuing not to recognize the Taliban government of Afghanistan?
Here's Recognition and the Taliban @ Brookings may not be a final answer, but it does have info that provides some insights:
During the Trump administration’s negotiations with the Taliban in Doha, ...
27
votes
Did the U.S. lose the war against the Taliban?
Yes, but 'win,' 'lose,' and 'war' are word games in a case like this.
The US-led coalition invaded Afghanistan with ill-defined motives, caused regime change, fought a protracted counterinsurgency/...
- 100k
26
votes
Accepted
Is the US allowed to execute an airstrike on Afghan soil after withdrawal under the provisions of the agreement that enabled it?
(This answer is analyzing the import of the agreement referred to in the question, not international law, which is another aspect)
Pretty much. About the only hard commitment the Taliban got nailed ...
25
votes
Accepted
What's the difference between paying someone to kill another country's soldiers, and arming that someone to kill another country's soldiers?
Defense vs. Offense
If you provide arms to a country, you can claim it was for purely defensive purposes, which is considered a valid right by every nation (and certainly every nation with a military)....
- 3,722
25
votes
Accepted
Are there any reliable indications on popular sentiment in Afghanistan for/against the Taliban?
You can judge the answer by the reality on the ground.
As of right now [mo: 11AUG21],the only areas remaining under the control of the puppet regime are basically some districts near Kabul, plus the ...
- 1,172
25
votes
Why do the Taliban not try to conquer the Kabul Airport?
Really?
they could get revenge,
They don't need revenge, they need to rule (i.e. money and power)
they could catch prisoners/hostages,
Short-term benefit with long term risks.
they could "...
- 5,591
24
votes
Accepted
Is Taliban a terrorist organization in China's and the US's eyes?
There is no point in discussing whether an organisation is a terrorist group. The only possible answer that I can give is is it classified as a terrorist group. And since you tag "united-states&...
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24
votes
Accepted
Why are the Taliban unwilling to establish a diplomatic relationship with Israel?
This is probably a matter of politics more than anything else. Of course, from a rational perspective it would make more sense for the Taliban to dislike the nation that invaded their country, drove ...
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23
votes
Does the Taliban government of Afghanistan have a written legal code?
No, they don't have an official legal code yet. Yes, they have plans to create some kind of a legislative body and write laws after forming the government. Yes, they already have written statutes, but ...
- 3,573
18
votes
Why is China interested in supporting the Taliban?
Well, it's a bit complicated. From I read in several articles and I'm summarizing here:
China (like Pakistan too) hope that the Afghan Taliban will keep their promises and "rein in" TTP and ...
- 131k
18
votes
Accepted
Have cross-border terrorist attacks in Pakistan declined or stayed the same after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan?
Afghanistan–Pakistan border is a 2,670-kilometre (1,660 mi) international land border between the both countries that is called as The Durand Line. Although the Durand Line is internationally ...
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16
votes
Why are the Taliban winning against the Afghan army?
The Afghanistan Army doesn't seem to be putting up a fight, at least for now. According to the Afghani Ambassador to the Netherlands, as reported by Nieuwsuur (see my translation below):
'...
JJJ♦
- 38.8k
15
votes
Why is China interested in supporting the Taliban?
But ...why? What is there to gain for China by association with a militant coup?
You quoted the very answer to your question; you just need to read it outside the scope of the US' perception of ...
- 7,543
13
votes
Accepted
Why does Taliban still control huge areas in Afghanistan?
I am an Afghan national and I have worked 6 years with US Army Marines, British Army and private contractors. The truth is that our government is corrupt and no soldier is going to die for 200$ a ...
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