As Troop Pullout Looms, Afghanistan 'Fighting for its Very Survival,' IG Says

I am not an Afghan History major, BUT....

This country has, for over a century, not really been a country. The President is often referred to as "The Mayor of Kabul" because outlying regions pay absolutely no attention to the central government. Individual provinces do their own thing, and tribes within those provinces do THEIR own thing. Allegiance to family / tribe FAR surpasses allegiance to any governmental authority (aside from family members who also hold government authority, of course).

It was this way in the 60s and 70s when we were finding warlords to fight the Russians.
It was this way in the 80s and 90s when we were paying warlords to fight the Russians.
It was this way in the 90s as the Taliban took control
It was this way in 2001 under Taliban rule as America launched its campaign.
It was this was in the 2000s and 2010s despite America's attempts to strengthen central governance.
It will continue to be this way after America leaves.

The problem has nothing to do with Afghanistan and the people. It has everything to do with America imposing its ideals of what government should be and how government should function on a different people and different culture.

SFC Casey O'Mally - True there are several regions that have very little in common with the other regions, not sure we are imposing anything on them. But we have been there for over a decade and nothing has really changed. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over getting the same results but expecting a different one the next time.

It never has been a “country”... just a land mass full of dust and various tribes with a line drawn around it long ago to make a map.