That’s not even the start of understanding the situation. Bogged down would
Mean there is no endgame insight. In this case everyone has a endgame except the US who is trying to get out with a fantasy.
US Forces are more or less in the training mode for the Afghan forces with only SF operating out of the wire.
Afghan forces as a whole are infiltrated with pro-Taliban and corruption is as rampant as the Chicago PD during prohibition.
Afghan leaders are siphoning every dollar they can into their own purses. National needs be damned. The Afghans haven’t had the idea of a unified nation since the Russians invaded. It’s all tribes and clans.
The Taliban has been getting arms, funding, vehicles, training camps, and protection from Pakistani ISI letting them do everything from take pot shots at Afghan and US forces from behind the Pakistani lines to giving them uniforms and equipment. all those brand new Toyota pickup trucks.
Because they operate on the premises that their are the so called “Good Taliban” who only side with Pakistan in destabilizing Pakistan’s neighbors and the “Bad Taliban” who side against Pakistan.
Well the difference between them is only a matter of whom is willing to take their money for the moment.
Pakistan is backed in this by Iran and China who in turn are backed by Russia as they don’t want US forces in the region.
Finally you have the US State department who keeps insisting that they can negotiate a coalition government between the Taliban and Kabul. A self delusion feed by the claim that the Taliban won’t return allow AQ to reestablish training camps in Afghanistan.
When they have been remarkably open about their objectives. Not to join Kabul but to seize it and rewind the clock back to August 2001. When With open arms bazaars and summer camps for all your favorite international terror groups. With stoning, beheading for all.
