Yeah things have been fermenting ever since the fall of Kabul, attempts were made to stem it but it was a loosing battle in a way.
One thing that I would consider legitimate criticism of the Civilian Government's role was in trying to normalize the Taliban/extremism, IK made some pretty mad statements on OBL and how Afghans broke the 'shackles of slavery'. Through these actions I guess he was trying to create sympathy for the Taliban and make public opinion more positive of them.
On the one hand I suppose it can help people-people relations but on the other hand it restrains security agencies from performing any strikes or 'unpopular' moves in Afghanistan. I remember the Maulvi Faqir strikes and others were very much propagandized and what not. A lot of people here were against it, I can only imagine what on the ground public opinion must have been. Then there's the knock on effect of extremists within our country getting legitimacy.
I agree with you on this.
Although IK did start off right that this wasn't our war to begin with and we sort of put it on ourselves...he just extends the same logic to each and everything. If it was our war or wasn't is moot at this point...as things stand now, it is our war, no questions asked.
Wanting peace talks (the military itself was HEAVILY in favor of them, for those who want to try and pin it all on PTI or whoever) is one thing, but that doesn't mean you suddenly become chummies with the TTP or Afghan Taliban. A ceasefire can be negotiated, TTP can do whatever it wants in Afghanistan, Afghanistan can go to hell for all we care, but that does not mean we start becoming their big brother.
I see why the military wants to keep it's influence over the Afghan Taliban too, pursuing it's concept of strategic depth and preventing India from making inroads there...but again, that should not mean pandering to the TTP. Influences like JUI who want reversal of the FATA merger are also not helpful, aur aaj kal yeh log fauj kay chuddy buddy banay huay hain.
I remember reading an article a while back (I think by Lt Gen Tariq but I might be wrong in this), and the point made there was that the Afghan Taliban will not always be beholden to us. Once they get their setup working, they won't need our support. India and other countries will also try and give their own support to them and gain favors...which they already are. Sab mufadaat ki baat hai, and there is no brotherly love between them and us, and I agree with that.
We want to gain favors from the Afghan Taliban, who tell us to be lenient on the TTP (because of their own past history). And then peace for us with the TTP is also in our interest...because let's face it, we cannot keep on fighting until kingdom come. You have Afghanistan next door, even though fencing has been done, it cannot create a complete blockade for the TTP and you cannot each and every fighter. And the Afghan Taliban are sure as heck not going to tell the TTP to stop cross border incursions either.
The more important question in my mind right now is, has the military bitten off more than it can chew in this case? By going head over heels in the quest to gain favors from the Afghan Taliban? Time will tell.