Commentary: Can Taliban Hold Power In Afghanistan?

Can the Taliban hold power in Afghanistan? It has the experience of defeating two major modern military powerhouses, Russia and the United States and it held power in Afghanistan From 1996 to 2001. It ruled over roughly three-quarters of Afghanistan, and enforced a strict interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law.

Without an American invasion in 2001, the Taliban would probably have been in power for a longer time but its association with Osama Bin Laden and the Al Qaeda brought its government down in the US-UK-Allies invasion in 2001 after the 911 attacks.

To be fair to the Americans, they wanted the Taliban to hand over OBL to their armed forces for the 911 attacks. The taliban did not follow up and got deposed as the government in Kabul. With the current approach of the Taliban and the West not in a hurry to remove them from power, it appears the Taliban may be there for a long time.