I remember this expose along with all the coverage throughout the years. Leaders constantly over committing to conflict that USA didn't have the will to commit to. Embellishing reports of progress. Progress towards what? What were the goals after Osama was killed? I'm pretty sure the American people thought they were getting out of Afghanistan after Osama's death.
No, America had to prop up a democracy. A democracy that no one really gave two shits about other than the ones who were taken advantage of and weak and felt they could prosper like Americans. With a military in denial and the locals in denial, what did you expect to happen after the US withdrew? Undefeated Taliban just saying 'alright we want democracy?'
There were just too many reports of how the Afghan Military was disorganized and unwilling to fight for their government. U.S. trainers would give these reports. There was nothing surprising about all the locals surrendering without fighting to the Taliban. They figured America would be there forever to protect their privileges.
A lot of people don't understand that the U.S. military is primarily a nation destroying army. It costs a lot of money to operate it relative to operating the Taliban. They cannot stay deployed for too long without incurring significant expense. Special forces aren't typically there to play defense either. Defense is the purpose of the cheaper Afghan defense forces.
It is too bad they lost morale so quickly after the US decided to pull back quickly. I guess the men figured it wouldn't be so bad under Taliban rule rather than foreign rule. Both are likely corrupt, but what did they grow up around?
In the end, maybe this adventure inspires Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban in the future, but now was not the time. America only wanted Osama. America's war hawks used that opportunity to get involved in the Afghan civil conflict in 2001 and invade Iraq. The amount of mental gymnastics it took to go invade two countries distinctly apart from each other who probably didn't like each other for that matter, I will never know.
Should learn from history, it is easy to take advantage of people when they are angry. Americans, be happy you killed Osama and be happy that you are mostly out of things you never wanted part of. You're brainwashed, the Taliban never cared about you. The constant fear mongering of terrorist playground. Pakistan held Osama, remember that.