[Jim Noble]

>> The other point you raise does indeed baffle me - if there are 20,000 Arabs and Taliban in Kunduz then they should definitely be able to break out<<

It's a long way to Saudi Arabia, and everyone outside of Kunduz wants them dead.

Unlike Talibanians who "see the light", these Arabs have no future in Afghanistan. They have every reason to hold out, and no reason to give up.

[Economist_MA]

Unlike Talibanians who "see the light", these Arabs have no future in Afghanistan. They have every reason to hold out, and no reason to give up.

I agree with your assessment, but would still think that they would try to reach Southern Afghanistan and reunite with the rest of the bunch. But it's probably a mistake to project my thinking onto them, because if they would think like I do they would all be having a normal job and be raising a family, or something a wee bit more productive than their current occupation.