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.
The Afghan forces weren't getting PAID. The Taliban said, "Hey, want some money for that gun?"
@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.