> Arm the govt to the teeth... <
I fear those arms would just end up in Taliban hands.
Consider a soldier who is in the current Afghan army. He’d have to know which way the wind was blowing. He’d have to know that once the Americans leave, the current puppet government will collapse.
That soldier should probably desert the first chance he got. Because if he waits too long, he’ll probably be killed in the collaborator bloodbath that is sure to follow the Taliban victory.
Thanks for nothing, George W. Bush.
“Consider a soldier who is in the current Afghan army... That soldier should probably desert the first chance he got.”
Afghans are really outstanding by Global norms - not fearful people, among the most unlikely to break and run out of fear. Truly exceptional. They really earned my respect and affection for their courage, when I served there
What is likely in my opinion, is that Afghan soldiers would revert to their Ethnic/Sectarian/Patronage Militias if the Central Government fell. Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazara would band back together to defend themselves from the Pashtun Taliban. They would seek foreign sponsors for military support - Russia, China, Iran, the USA, and Pakistan are the big players. Maybe India would want to block Pakistan, but that would be a big escalation for them.
Basically, the civil war would be back on again, and the country at risk of falling back into another “Mad Max” period of warring gangs and Militias, until someone manages to shoot their way to domination (likely with major foreign military support).
They have some significant mineral wealth in the ground, if any regime could establish reliable security.
Nobody likes traitors and those so-called Muslims, who have collaborated with us will be killed.
A fundamental Muslim should be working against us Infidels, and not helping us out with our Infidel agenda.-Tom