The fall of Afghanistan will be studied, in detail, by those that plan to overtake a country.
IMHO, the Afghan forces didn't have something worthwhile to fight for. Whatever principle was behind their Afghan identity was insufficient compared to their individual lives.
@Siren_six @mcfate
And they have a principle to fight for. And, it is a religious principle. So, their deity is also (emotionally) supporting them. That's a lot more powerful than a government.
I don' think Gilead, from The Handmaid's Tale, is as far-fetched as most might think.
@mcfate
Yes, but only one of many factors.
Yet, it does demonstrate how pathetic was the governing infrastructure. After 20 years it never got traction. The US could have taken an Afghan baby, raised it in perfect conditions. Educated it with the best teachers, and deployed it back to Afghanistan to manage operations in the time we were there.
@jurban
The Afghan forces weren't getting PAID. The Taliban said, "Hey, want some money for that gun?"