After 11 Years, The Taliban Are Still Not Defeated -- CBS
(CBS News) It took just 5 weeks for American precision guided bombs and Special Forces on horseback to chase the Taliban from power.
So thoroughly was the Taliban dismantled that in February 2003, Afghan President Hamid Karzai scoffed at the possibility of a Taliban spring offensive, saying: "I don't think that is going to happen. These guys are on the run. They are hiding."
But they were not defeated. Taliban leaders retreated into Pakistan, where they regrouped. In 2006, it launched a spring offensive which Ronald Neumann, then the American Ambassador in Afghanistan, described as follows in a cable: "We . . .were surprised by the size of the forces employed. . . A revitalized enemy with its leadership secure in Pakistan mounted a major counter-attack."
Read more ....
My Comment: At this point of time I am of the opinion that the Taliban can be defeated .... if you are willing to spend a few trillion dollars, spend decades of occupation and training of Afghan security forces, experience thousands upon thousands of casualties, nation building, changing a culture of tribalism/sectarianism/religious extremism/corruption/etc., and warning neighboring states to assist us in stopping the Taliban as well as staying out of Afghanistan.
Hmmm .... on second thought .... something is telling me that this is not going to happen.