Speaking to the growing frustration among Afghan civilians at the corrupt and inefficient Karzai government, an increasing number of people seem eager to welcome the Taliban as a stabilizing influence, bringing order to regions that Afghan government seems unwilling to even attempt to tackle.
Growing influence and growing credibility seems to be emboldening the group, as they are now posting letters on the front doors of police, soldiers and other government officials’ homes in the capital city of Kabul, warning people to abandon their positions in the Karzai government or face retribution.
Last month it was announced that the Taliban had set up a rival government, complete with its own judiciary, in the remote Nuristan Province. That was hardly a surprise as US forces had abandoned their last outpost in the province following a major attack. But it seems that the Taliban are in the process of doing the same thing in Wardak and even Kabul, which suggests their control over the regions is even stronger than officials have been inclined to admit.
The Taliban are probably as good as it is going to get for Afghanistan. We might as well accept and go home. At least they clamped down on the opium trade.