That reddened part is misleading. The taliban was actually ruling the country and got thrown out when the US came. So obviously they would be fighting the Americans. Once upon a time, the same mujahideen groups (fighting the Northern alliance and Russia) fought alongside the Americans, with their help. It is all about power - each faction wants to rule, and will ally with any power that will get them to the throne.
I know. But you're missing the point. The so called democracy is not very representative once you look at it under the microscope. Certain ethnicities dominate the political and military representation. The Afghan parliament was made up of many different war lords, drug lords and tribal leaders, each pushing their own interest, most of them only had one thing in common, that before 2001, they were part of/supporters of what was known as the Northern Alliance.
I had an old post somewhere briefly mentioning the names of some Afghan officials, very high in the ranks of the government, all former Northern Alliance commanders and affiliates.
The fact of the matter is that the country now has a parliament and fledgling democratic institutions - which means that somebody who wants to come to power no longer has to do so through bullets.If common people want the taliban to rule them, all that these talibs need to do is stand for elections and get voted in. But they will not do that, because they know that the people of the country don't want to languish under that regime again.
It's fine for you and I to say that.
But do you think the message has gotten through to the Southern Pashtun areas, where the taliban sill dominate and hold local support?
I don't at all think that it will be over when foreigners leave (if they leave).
Good, because it won't. The real nation building, or destruction begins then. It can pan out either way.
It is Pakistanis who seem to believe that post 2015 everything will be a complete U-turn, and the talibs will imediately roll into power, and Pakistani interests will be secured. That's not going to happen - like it or not, the foreigners have trained and installed a large and capable security force there, the ANA and the ANSF.
Well it could pan out that way. Though I think this time it won't, because the taliban are just too barbaric for a lot of Afghans to support.
But the point is, equilibrium, will only be achieved when all are included in the game. If the taliban continue fighting, I am sure, they can outlast the government, who despite foreign props and foreign troops on the ground, is very weak.
It is made up of representatives who still live in an old world of tribal and local loyalties. They could not care less some of them if the central government fell, as long as their necks aren't to the chopping block.
And if all sections of Afghanistan are represented properly and not just the NA domination it is and has been since 2004. Then, we Pakistanis will have our concerns raised too. The current government is the new embodiment of an old enemy.
Previous governments in Afghanistan did not have the benefit of a competent, organized, well equipped, professional military.
Tell that to the grand army of the DRA the soviets left. They even had an air force, very good weaponry, much better than anything we could arm the mujahideen with. They had good numbers, Soviet backing. But it didn't take long before half their numbers up and disappeared, went AWOL.
This time they do. Talibani "non state actors" are not going to be able to steamroll them over so easily, unless they get massive help from outside powers - which they won't because no country would so brazenly go against US interests in this day and age.
Right, but you have to understand too. The status quo is not sustainable!!!
You wanna know who are sustainable? The taliban.
Don't underestimate them. Back in 2002, the US claimed victory, within 3-4 years, these pesky creatures made the most remarkable military comeback of our age.
it will burn those extremist indians who thought Modi will drop Bomb on Pakistan
