Well ! The first lesson to be learnt is that if the country is an
Islamic country, don't try to help them, let them kill themselves in
the inevitable internal war.
Tough on the women, but that is Islam.
Democracy and Islam are incompatible.
Allah is the ultimate excuse for a dictator cleric.
No need for politicians, parliaments etc etc, just go ahead and steal the countries wealth.

After the Taliban was hammed down, go home.
If they restart, hammer them down again and go home.
Do it all remotely as possible.

That is the lesson to be learnt.

The only error we need to learn from is the one that took us into Afghanistan in the first place. Just like the belief that getting China into the WHO would democratise the CCP, the idea that Afghanistan could be mended and civilised was made by people far, far too ignorant to have the power that they did have.

Another stupid suggestion and whopping great mistake is this author's suggestion that: " ... now that the Taliban will govern Afghanistan ... it's time to heal the wounds and extend to them a helping hand ..."

What a Wally.

Just learned that the Taliban has already started going house to house, rooting out people who worked with the allies. Not the sort of people you can "work with", Alon. It's over. It didn't work. It's back to the 7th. Century for Afghanistan.

The US, allies and the Pakistani intelligence service knew the taliban were in safe haven in Pakistan, able to use the border entries coming and going without being hindered with their weapon supplies, etc. Also, the US with its satellite surveillance could see every move the taliban were making, even using advanced facial recognition. Just wondering why the US and its allies wanted this outcome for the people of Afghanistan.

I agree with the bulk of the Author's analysis. We took our eye off the ball and intended result. and moved too many of our resources to a war in the M.E. Why? Because the M.E. has oil!
As for the Taliban, their verbal assurances and agreements are not worth the paper they're written on.

For mine, if any of those disagreements are dishonoured then we need to send in drones with missiles or cruise missiles to take out the Taliban leadership. And repeat as often as needed to get full compliance.

And means they take the blacklist down and allow our mates, cobbers and their families to leave! And stop with the persecution/subjugation/sexual slavery of females! And if that strategy fails, then nuke their strongholds, and wear the collateral damage, until they agree!
Alan B.

I disagree with Alan on one point, ME oil was not a factor.
The ME needs to sell its oil more than we need to buy it.
The exports of oil from the ME can be controlled at the Strait of Hormuz
by a navy as easily as Iran can control it.
With the decline in oil search and the withdrawl of oil companies
from that industry over the next 20 years ME oil is a declining factor.