Long War Journal: Taliban advances as U.S. completes withdrawal
The Taliban has made dramatic gains since President Joe Biden announced the U.S. would leave Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021. The time lapse map, which is dated from April 13 to today and was created by FDD’s Long War Journal, shows the jihadists’ swift advance since Biden made his announcement.
The current Taliban and al Qaeda offensive was planned far in advance. The jihadists laid the groundwork for seizing large parts of the country years ago by directly challenging the Afghan government and military in rural districts. The insurgents seized more rural ground after the NATO handed over primary security responsibilities to the Afghan government in 2014. The Taliban’s strategy was downplayed and dismissed by U.S. military commanders in Afghanistan, who touted population control over territorial control. But the Taliban and its al Qaeda allies slowly but methodically took control of remote districts, using them as bases of operations to project power in neighboring districts as well as recruit, train, and indoctrinate future fighters.
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WNU Editor: The above analysis is a must read. In particular, I agree with the last paragraph ....
.... The Afghan government is at a critical moment. It must halt the Taliban advance and reverse its gains in the north and the provinces surrounding Kabul. To do so, it must consolidate its forces, stop attempting to defend indefensible terrain, and abandon regions of the country, including in the south and east. It must also take the risky move of fully mobilizing the militias of pro-government (or at least anti-Taliban) warlords. If the Afghan government does not do this, and soon, it is at risk of losing to the Taliban and al Qaeda on the battlefield.
