"What Is Really Happening In Afghanistan" Topic

"The fighting season in Afghanistan began with a vengeance this year.

This year's fighting season in Afghanistan began with a vengeance. Last week, hundreds of Taliban fighters attacked army and police installations around the northern Afghan city of Kunduz. The battle is still raging, with heavy casualties on both sides.

Two weeks prior to the offensive in Kunduz city an estimated 1,000 Taliban fighters overran Afghan army positions in Jurm District in Badakhshan Province. Additonally, heavy fighting has been reported in several other provinces, including Sar-i-Pul, Jowzjan and Faryab the New York Times reports.

To make matters worse, the Islamic State (IS) may be making headway into the country as illustrated by a recent suicide attack in Jalalabad on April 18, although the Afghan Analysts Network cautions that IS "has been prominent in Afghanistan largely on social media and in reports by the media and Afghan officials."…"
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Amicalement
Armand

The Taliban brazenly announced their new offensives via social media beforehand, since they expected little to no opposition. Once American forces pulled out it was only a matter of time when the rats come out to play.

Many locals have apparently been asking why it is so bloody hot, and what they are all doing in handbaskets.

Nah, it's normal since "hell in a handbasket" is par for the course in this wasteland.

I don't see the government forces winning this fight, in the long run, because the Taliban are in it for the duration and it's so much easier for the regular army, which is probably riddled with corruption, to just give up and go home after a period of futility.

If the army doesn't melt away a la Iraq and the Taliban aren't actually able to overrun Kabul and the countryside outright (which might happen), some sort of negotiated settlement is likely, eventually, that will give the Taliban much of what they want in exchange for their ceasing outright warfare and joining a ruling coalition.

Infighting is the Afghan way and no central authority OR foreign power looks able to change that for the foreseeable future.

As I have said previously, the ANA & ANP solo acts without NATO may prove to be rough going. Again another weak gov't with mulitiple tribal factions, etc., … And like in Syria with Daesh in the mix, which I don't think they and the Taliban will get along. The area will be in for more hard times …

Many locals have apparently been asking why it is so bloody hot, and what they are all doing in handbaskets.

Nah, it's normal since "hell in a handbasket" is par for the course in this wasteland.

Pretty much.

If the US had dumped every single nuke in the inventory into Afghanistan back in September 2001, it would have been an improvement in the overall social situation, especially in the tribal areas.

Wouldn't need every single nuc … much of it is wasteland already ! LOL !

The Taliban are on their way to becoming the de facto Afghan Army.

It is only a matter of time.

It will be interesting to see if ISIS decides to vie for that title, and/or if the Tali's eventually accede to their leadership, and control of the region voluntarily.