Taliban: Terrorist Gang or Ultra-Modern War Machine?

Photo: Aslan Media / flickr.com

“In any war, the willingness to endure suffering and die, along with the willingness to kill, is the only factor in existence. Exclude him - and even the most numerous, the most organized, the most trained and the best armed army in the world will turn into a fragile mechanism.

This applies to all wars regardless of the time, place and circumstances of their conduct. The degree of technical complexity of equipment and weapons does not play a role either: it does not matter what is used in battle, sticks or Tanksand this is not a purely academic problem ... "

- Van Creveld. "War Transformation".

In recent months, Afghanistan has taken almost a central place in the entire military-political news agenda. It should be admitted that this is not happening for nothing - in the end, the fate of this country will affect the strategic alignment of forces on the entire continent.

Naturally, a central factor in the Afghan crisis, the notorious Taliban terrorist group, is also under scrutiny.

It should be admitted that the Taliban are a very little-known topic in Russia. Sometimes the domestic reader imagines this organization, extrapolating from the Soviet experience of the war with the mujahideen, which, of course, is fundamentally wrong.

Lack of data on militants sometimes leads to blatant ignorance in the expert community. Most of the people who write about the current war in Afghanistan tell us about a certain triumph of will, fortitude and the old Kalashnikov assault rifle, with the help of which "tattered slippers" smash cowardly NATO soldiers and their allies.

But is it true?

Unfortunately (it is unfortunately, given the level of threat posed by the Taliban to Russia in the future!), Few people realize that the “slippers” are highly qualified military professionals. They have been training for years to carry out the most difficult combat operations in which they encounter heavy armored vehicles and assault aviation... This is an organization that spends tens of millions of dollars on modern weapons and equipment, constantly mastering them both in theory and in practice. The militants are actively working on their tactics and strategy.

They analyze, plan, refine.

The Taliban are veterans of dozens of battles, people with colossal organizational and command experience, experts in the tactics of non-traditional military operations.

It is worth speaking frankly - this organization is a well-oiled military machine, from which the military elite of the most powerful armies in the world should learn.

Several facts about what the Taliban are

1. The Taliban have excellent tactical training. They act like most modern Western armies - they attack mainly at night, actively using night vision devices. In addition, they regularly use drones for intelligence purposes.

2. Contrary to popular belief, the Taliban do not act as scattered insurgent units, but as a full-fledged army. The organization has a centralized military leadership, unified logistics, and an officer training system.

3. The Taliban attach great importance to the military training of their soldiers. According to known data, the organization has at least 16 training bases. Approximately 2/3 of the time of service of personnel is occupied by intensive training and exercises - in addition, every 4 months, members of the organization undergo additional training, during which the discovered shortcomings of combat tactics are dealt with, as well as new weapons are mastered (this is an ingenious system that any army can envy - all errors are analyzed in the shortest possible time by tacticians and officers, and immediately brought to the rank and file).

4. The Taliban are actively using the tactics of psychological warfare. It works efficiently and uncomplicated - they simply systematically exterminate all persons loyal to the official government in Kabul: public figures, officials, doctors, journalists. Uncomplicated basics of effective terror, impossible anywhere else in the world.

5. The technical equipment of the Taliban is superior to that of most units from the Western coalition, and even more so to the Afghan National Army. Back in 2011, the American armed forces issued a number of reports on this issue: the organization's fighters began to radically change their tactics, using modern sniper weapons, night vision devices, laser-guided artillery fire systems and light infantry mortars.

And now we present to your attention two serious tactical and technical advantages, thanks to which the Taliban offensive slices through the defenses of the official government like a hot knife of butter.

Taliban drones - cheap and practical

Unfortunately, in Russia there is very little and one-sided coverage of the use of drones in various low-intensity conflicts. Meanwhile, it is very curious and instructive. story - and now I will explain why.

To start this conversation is that the Taliban are using for their own purposes the most common and fairly budget models of quadcopters - for example, the DJI "Phantom". Judging by the ISAF, a significant proportion of Taliban fighters are trained in piloting copters - this ensures their massive use.

In order to overcome the technical shortcomings of commercial quadrocopters (for example, short flight range), the Taliban, in the best traditions of asymmetric warfare, combined the mobility and flexibility of motorcycles with the ability to conduct non-contact reconnaissance using drones.

It is this advantage in detailed aerial reconnaissance that serves to organize the key to successful actions during the assault on the outposts of government forces. Among other things, the Taliban have repeatedly used copters as mini-bombers to attack roadblocks. This is a fairly straightforward tactical trick: when dropping homemade bombs, soldiers and policemen run for cover, and at this moment the militants begin a circular attack on the fortifications.

It should also be said that the Taliban have been actively using quadcopters since about 2016 to organize assassinations of high-ranking government officials.

Contrary to popular belief about the vulnerability of civilian models of drones, their massive use has become a monstrous problem even for the well-equipped US armed forces. It is simply impossible to place jammers and electronic warfare systems at all checkpoints, at every base, fortifications, and to equip all patrols with them. It turned out that it is unrealistic to stop this threat even with ISAF-level budgets.

Yes, you heard right - two hundred dollar copters have become a headache for the regular Western armies. Competent tactical use of these devices has become one of the main advantages of the Taliban over its high-tech adversary.

And DJI "Phantom" gradually and become the same legend of asymmetric warfare, like Toyota pickup trucks.

Motorized infantry riding a bike

If you think that the Taliban are scattered guerrilla units without equipment, then you are most seriously mistaken.

Back in the 90s, before the coalition invaded Afghanistan, Taliban fighters established themselves as aces of mobile warfare. For the next two decades, they actively strengthened their reputation in practice - but, alas, not much has been written about this.

Of course, you will have a logical question - what kind of maneuverable war are we talking about, if Afghanistan for many years was under the hood of ISAF aerial surveillance? And how can technology be used in such conditions?

And I will answer you: anything is possible if your technique is a motorcycle!

Source: Wall Street Journal / youtube.com

For many years the Taliban used the strategy of guerrilla warfare - in general, the general strategic situation did not allow the group to go over to open hostilities. At the same time, the use of exclusively foot units is not the most reasonable thing. After all, the year is not 1943, and even a low-intensity war requires high mobility from the participants. Naturally, the use of cars in such conditions was almost impossible: they are noticeable, require a significant amount of fuel, are quite expensive, and they also need roads.

The first major motorcycle niche in the Taliban was intelligence. High mobility, coupled with the ability to disguise as civilians, was a major headache for the ISAF. As mentioned above, the real "highlight" was the use of the "motorcycle + UAV" bundle - drone operators, changing positions on the bikes, proved to be a very functional and flexible tactical unit.

Naturally, in the absence of the possibility of using other vehicles, the Taliban began to use motorized infantry as well. Militant detachments have successfully mastered the high-speed transfer of personnel and heavy weapons on motorcycles. As the ISAF forces were withdrawn from the country, the Taliban made this tactical trick their trump card - units are sometimes deployed simultaneously on a hundred bikes, providing unprecedented mobility against the backdrop of frankly passive ANA forces. In addition, the militants are actively using bikes right in battle, shifting the calculations of heavy weapons - heavy machine guns, grenade launchers and anti-material rifles. This allows them to concentrate firepower at high speed during assaults, which, of course, is a great advantage over the enemy (it is worth noting that this tactical technique works like a clock - despite the capture of a large number of armored vehicles, militants mainly continue to use calculations for maneuvering heavy weapons, namely motorcycles).

And, of course, such a side of the war as ordinary terror cannot be overlooked. The Taliban have been practicing lightning-fast fire raids on government outposts and civilians for years. At times, such attacks do not cause much damage, but seriously exhaust the ANA forces. In addition, the militants have successfully mastered attacks on convoys and patrols in the style of "cavalry raids." It would be worthwhile to separately mention a tactical technique that seriously spoiled the blood of the ISAF in the early years of the invasion. Its essence is simple - bikers attack a patrol and make a false retreat, escaping ... through a minefield. Anti-tank mines ignore light motorcycles - but respond perfectly to heavy tactical vehicles from NATO countries. Is it worth explaining what happens next?

Naturally, mock motorcycle retreats have been used repeatedly to lure ISAF forces into classic ambushes. In short, the Taliban riding bikes has successfully revived Mongolian light cavalry tactics in the 21st century - and are using them successfully.

As in the case of the UAV, the Taliban took the path of absolute practicality - the group uses the iconic Chinese-made Honda CG-125. The reasons for this are simple and understandable: these bikes are sold in any bazaar in Afghanistan. They are cheap, economical, hardy, and affordable.

As a conclusion

The Taliban is one of the clearest examples of the transformation of war in the world today.

“Armed conflicts will be waged by people on the ground, not Robots in space. They will have more in common with primitive tribal wars than large-scale conventional warfare with conventional weapons... Since the warring parties will merge with each other and with the civilian population, a Clausewitzian strategy will not apply.

Weapons will become less, not more complex. The war will not be fought from a distance by neatly uniformed men sitting in air-conditioned rooms behind computer monitors, manipulating symbols and pressing buttons: in fact, the "troops" will have more in common with police officers (or pirates) than with military analysts. "

- Van Creveld. "War Transformation".

What can we see when looking at the Taliban? It is a super-flexible military machine, extremely sensitive to any changes, which is capable of reconstructing in the shortest possible time to the current conditions of hostilities. We see a system that is impossible in any regular army in the world - a system that for several decades successfully fought and defeated real, classic armies, built with the latest military thought for battles in conditions of large-scale conflicts like World War II.

This is a topic that is definitely worthy of detailed study - after all, in the end, modern warfare is changing more and more - the regular army more and more often resembles a victim, and various military-terrorist organizations - predators.

* Editorial note: The Taliban is a terrorist organization banned on the territory of the Russian Federation

Comments

[north 2]

the point is not in the effectiveness of training the Taliban army, but in the ineffectiveness of the prepared Afghan government army by the Americans. For 20 years, the Americans prepared the government army of Afghanistan even worse than the Georgian one, which, the whole army, at a similar pace fled from two regiments of motorized infantry and assault forces from the paratrooper division of the Russian Armed Forces. Eh, then the Russian soldiers had to ride tanks to Tbilisi! That should have been! !!

[restless]

Everyone was waiting for the command: "to Tbilisi", but it was not received, once again it shows that our supreme leaders are led by the hand of the "gray cardinal" ...

[Tatyana]

Speaking about the future of Afghanistan and neighboring countries, the following should be noted. Namely.

1. Regional branch of IG is active in Afghanistan - "Vilayat Khorasan" or "Islamic State - Khorasan" numbering from 1 to 1,5 militants.
2. Besides the IG, mid-2000s Taliban, entrenched in the Waziristan region on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan, interacted with al-Qaeda cells hiding there.

At the stage of the struggle for power the Taliban could enter into ad hoc alliances with militants of the terrorist movements Al-Qaeda and Islamic State * banned in Russia - Khorasan ", but now both of these structures are not just COMPETITORS, but ENEMIES for the Taliban movement, its militants and warlords. " The coming to power of a radical Islamist force represented by the Taliban will not mean an alliance of the Taliban with other radical Islamists.
In this case, The Taliban have already refused to create any TRANSITIONAL - COALITIONAL - government in Afghanistan!

Then, on the one hand, it means a CIVIL war in Afghanistan.
On the other hand, if the Taliban focus on building their Taliban Caliphate in Afghanistan, where will the IS and Al-Qaeda militants move? In the best case for Russia, they will move to Syria and Iraq, and in general to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, etc.

As for the government forces and the Taliban, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova noted that these two opposing forces in Afghanistan are government and Taliban (the Taliban movement is banned in Russia) - are the result of the "thought process" of the United States, which staged in this country ANOTHER EXPERIMENT ,

[Xscorpion]

Quote: restless

Everyone was waiting for the command: "to Tbilisi", but it was not received, once again it shows that our supreme leaders are led by the hand of the "gray cardinal" ...

There was no order on Tbilisi, because it was inappropriate to compare to the ground a city with a population of 2 million, in which there were tens of thousands of military personnel with armored vehicles. And between the Russian and Georgian troops there were positions of American and British military personnel, an attack on which would mean the beginning of the Third World War.

[raw174]

Quote: restless

Everyone was waiting for the command: "to Tbilisi", but it was not received,

What for? In North Ossetia, our soldiers were greeted as liberators, while in Georgia they would have been an enemy. The earth would burn underfoot ... Yes, they would take Tbilisi, so what? Why does Russia need this constantly smoldering hearth and base on hostile territory? Or do you think that if a soldier is Russian, then he is welcome anywhere in the world? It may be a secret for some, but in most countries that were previously part of the USSR, Russians are not loved and are not expected ...

[Stas157]

Quote: north 2

Eh, then the Russian soldiers had to ride tanks to Tbilisi! That should have been! !!

In the Donbas, the stumbling block was the Swiss accountant, and in the war with the Georgians, Sarkozy.

It was after his arrival that the troops were ordered to withdraw. Russia did not take advantage of the fruits of its victory and itself (and not the Georgians) had to rebuild the destroyed Tskhinvali.

[lucul]

In the Donbas, the stumbling block was the Swiss accountant, and in the war with the Georgians, Sarkozy.

And in the Crimea, who was the stumbling block, according to your logic? ))))

[Stas157]

Quote: lucul

And who was a stumbling block in Crimea,according to your logic ? ))))

Crimea is ours. In the home harbor for a long time! Don't you know yet? Therefore, there are no stumbling blocks, unlike Georgia and Donbass. Is it logical?

[2 Level Advisor]

and in Crimea there were no hostilities, but there was free expression of will and voluntary withdrawal of Ukrainian units, what is the analogy according to your logic?

[Disorder]

Quote: north 2

Eh, then the Russian soldiers had to ride tanks to Tbilisi! That should have been! !!

There was no sense. They would have been greeted with Molotov cocktails and shots in the back.

[EvilLion]

Well, they occupied Tbilisi, then what?

[vladimirvn]

Quote: EvilLion

Well, they occupied Tbilisi, then what?

Well, as usual. Learning from the Americans. We plant a puppet government, pursuing a loyal policy to us, and a couple of our military bases. Everything!

[datura23]

We plant a puppet government
and turn off television with the Internet

[l7yzo]

And it’s the cheapest and most effective method.

[Alexey RA]

Quote: vladimirvn

Well, as usual. Learning from the Americans. We plant a puppet government, pursuing a loyal policy to us, and a couple of our military bases. Everything!

And this government controls only Tbilisi. And in the rest of the territory, the wobbling begins a-la 90s, and even with a national flavor (Adjara looks towards Turkey, Georgian Azerbaijanis - in their direction, etc.). Plus the traditional feeding from "partners" - the same limes have had the same experience in those parts since the 19th century.
Do not underestimate the degree of frostbite of Georgians - this is Tbilisi at the time presidential race Chevy and Gamsakhurdia:

And in 10 years we leave - in the American way, with the evacuation by helicopters from the roof of the embassy.

[Liam]

Quote: Alexey RA

And after 10 years

In Syria, do you think it will be different?)

[Alexey RA]

Quote: Liam

In Syria, do you think it will be different?)

At the time of our entry, there was still a government in Syria that still controlled part of the country and was already well aware that there were no other options - either with Russia or like Gaddafi.

[Liam]

I'm not talking about what it was ... I'm about what will be when the guard gets tired)

[Anzhey V.]

the ineffectiveness of the trained government army of Afghanistan by the Americans

You are partly right and partly wrong. Directly, the ANA army units really showed themselves very badly. But the police and commando brigades were at their best - unfortunately, no one particularly covered this topic, everyone basically followed the success of the Taliban.

The main trump card of the Taliban in their offensive was the total bribery of all officials they could reach. It is for this reason that all the defense from the militants crumbled like a house of cards ...

[Snail N9]

I read the article. Well, what can I say. The author tries to convince that the Taliban are almost a wunder machine on the battlefield. But the casket actually opens simply, the reason for the success of the toliban is simple:
1- not popular in a country with a tribal organization of society, an attempt by "civilized countries" to create a centralized state based on "democratic", "universal", "tolerant" rules, according to the "Western" model. Well, these people do not want "Western values" incomprehensible to them with all the attributes of "Western states" - a crowd of officials, party systems, parliament, police-army, taxes and so on.
2- the system of social structure, organization of life, tradition presupposes that the most necessary for a man is the possession of a weapon, military skills. What they have been doing all their lives, combining with subsistence farming.
3- through the efforts of the Western countries, a military elite with commercial skills was prepared, which created a military-trade economy, carrying out a turnover-distribution of goods and services within tribes and clans loyal to the Taliban, which won the necessary authority among different tribes, which allowed it to have a unifying influence. And there are no special ideas, there is only one unifying idea - trophies and robbery. "Superfluous" young people are recruited who do not receive a share in the family inheritance and cannot pay the kalym - this is the only opportunity for them to receive both trophies and authority.
4 different Islamic states provide the Taliban with military, economic and financial assistance, help the Taliban to have external trade.
That's basically it. If we talk about the military art of the Taliban, then there is nothing "wunder" - typical partisan detachments, armed with light weapons and using the available achievements of the XXI century, and the simplest of them, and fighting against an ideologically unmotivated, weak-minded enemy - the Afghan army and police. If we talk about the United States and its allies, then they never wanted to defeat someone in Afghanistan - they "washed" money there in various cunning schemes, methods and supported the "knot of tension" on the borders of the former USSR, looking for a force that could be allowed to remain after The United States to continue to put pressure on Russia's southern flank. Realizing that the Taliban could successfully accomplish this, they fled, considering their task completed. IMHO of course.

[Hypertension]

Quote: Snail N9

If we talk about the military art of the Taliban, then there is nothing "wunder" - typical guerrilla units armed with light weapons

“Watching courageous Afghans fight against modern military equipment with the simplest weapons is a real inspiration for all who love freedom. Their courage teaches us an important lesson - there are things in this world that are worth protecting. I tell the people of Afghanistan - we admire your heroism, your dedication to freedom, your incessant struggle against your oppressors. " - Ronald Reagan "

[moscowp]

... seeking a force that can be allowed to remain behind the United States to continue to put pressure on Russia's southern flank. Realizing that the Taliban could successfully accomplish this, they fled, considering their task completed. IMHO of course

Before the arrival of the Americans, the Taliban-led Afghanistan quite successfully put pressure on the southern borders of Russia, including through some republics within Russia. Then the Americans came and for 20 years were looking for how to put pressure on Russia. Then they realized that the Taliban could do this and left.
Don't you think it sounds a little eccentric?))

[Vadim237]

And on this the Taliban began to cooperate with Russia.

[lucul]

Judging by the ISAF, a significant proportion of Taliban fighters are trained in piloting copters - this ensures their massive use.

Who is being trained by? )))
It is hard to believe that uneducated "dekhans" will learn how to use a quadrocopter in a couple of hours.
Secondly, for the needs of the army, not one quadcopter is required, but thousands of units, such a number of quadcopters is easily tracked when sold, and just as easily destroyed if desired.
Any army starts with logistics, any. You break supply chains - and that's it, there is no army.
It's just that no one seriously dealt with the Taliban.

[haron]

Quote: lucul

Who is being trained by? )))

Anyone. There, more than half of the command studied in the USSR, the rest in Western countries. And actually, Afghanistan has been fighting stubbornly for at least 40 years, so they learn from life too.
And the quadrocopter was created so that ANY PERSON could use it in a couple of hours. You try to milk a goat, you will be very surprised.

Quote: lucul

for the needs of the army, not one quadcopter is required, but thousands of units

Not a thousand, but a thousand, for 70 thousand soldiers more than. And this is a minuscule amount of production in China. And who told you that you need to buy everything at the same time?
The Chinese sell tons of chemicals banned in most countries to anyone who wants to, they will pack them in a container and send them wherever you want. Are you talking about a thousand quadcopters?)
This is exactly what the article is about, that it is possible to fight well with relatively simple "household" equipment, which cannot be blocked in any way.

[Starover_Z]

Quote: haron

Quote: lucul
Who is being trained by? )))

Anyone. There, more than half of the command studied in the USSR, the rest in Western countries. And actually, Afghanistan has been fighting stubbornly for at least 40 years, so they learn from life too.

I read the article and got the impression that initially the Taliban were taught to fight according to Harry Harrison's book "Mounted Barbarians". Surprise, light weapons and high mobility are the keys to victory.

[Alexey RA]

Quote: lucul

Secondly, for the needs of the army, not one quadcopter is required, but thousands of units, such a number of quadcopters is easily tracked when sold, and just as easily destroyed if desired.

Are you proposing to bomb a country that is the official owner of nuclear weapons? Moreover, it is also an ally of another country of the same kind (concurrently - the workshop of the world)?
You know whose project the Taliban were.

[Castro Ruiz]

Yes, write to him at once a bunch of China - Pakistan.

[Eug]

Like the Americans in Iraq ... you need to draw conclusions - to clean the "fifth column" ....

[l7yzo]

By the way, you successfully remembered amers in Iraq - that's where the Americans actually showed a lightning war against a strong and well-manned army with morale. In Afghanistan - for how many locals have been fighting - for 50-60 years (gentlemen - these are two generations) - you generally understand that two whole generations grew up in the war. This is PPC - their world is completely different, we simply cannot even understand what it is for them and how they see it. Honestly - I see big problems. And very bad decisions of all this.

[Eug]

I don't see any good solutions either. An abscess is ripening ...

[Ross xnumx]

Quote: Anjay V.

The main trump card of the Taliban in their offensive was the total bribery of all officials they could reach. It is for this reason that all the defense from the militants crumbled like a house of cards ...

I read the article and realized that I am not the only one:

Quote: Snail N9

I read the article. Well, what can I say. The author tries to convince that the Taliban are almost a wunder machine on the battlefield.

==========
Mister author, you described the victorious war of whom with whom? The armed contingent of the United States, trying to persuade the Taliban co-religionists into allies?
You have fun talking about motorcycles. True, in Siberia, where the frosts are -30 ° C and below, this transport is unlikely to be in demand ... Do you want a scenario of total extermination of any country of such a tribal way of life?
You can fight them using completely different methods. To begin with, block financial and transport flows that make it possible to acquire weapons and equipment. Due to the lack of adequate medicine, any (organized from laboratories) epidemic will mow down the armed formations and the population supporting them in thousands. Tell about drinking water, about the lack of power supply, about carpet bombing, about the border areas of deep cleaning?
And then in practice it will turn out that the effectiveness of the Taliban is based on the absence of resistance ...
==========
All these theories and assumptions are empty. The main thing is whether the international community is able to appreciate these efforts of the Taliban to create a state and what will become of Afghanistan if it does not?
If the Taliban are destroying all those who disagree, then who can guarantee that people of a similar shape and appearance will not be destroyed in the same way? And therefore, let them rejoice at their victories in a separate territorial entity.

[l7yzo]

And let's think - where did they get so much money? Who is their sponsor? And then we will understand where all this is going)

[l7yzo]

It looks like ears are visible, these are China and Pakistan. China - the government that left was dissatisfied with contracts and perpetual violations by China. Let's see if it will come out today for them, Pakistan - Kashmir by the forces of friends from Afghanistan.

[Castro Ruiz]

+ Saudi, Kuwait, Qatar.

[Alexey RA]

Quote: l7yzo

And let's think - where did they get so much money? Who is their sponsor?

Two countries possessing nuclear weapons. One of which is also the second in the world in terms of GDP.

[raw174]

Quote: Anjay V.

The main trump card of the Taliban in their offensive was the total bribery of all officials,

Also, I believe that the real support of the population has decided a lot.
As for the question in the title, I think that the Taliban are certainly not a military machine, their success is not due to military genius or training ... The Taliban is a religious and ideological community that unites the most active part of the people of Afghanistan. We will have to conduct a dialogue with them, regardless of their official status, which is what is happening.

[Xnumx vis]

Quote: Anjay V.

the Taliban's trump card in their offensive was total bribery of all officials,

The best weapon in any war!

[Catfish]

Andrey, thanks.
And so it was alarming in my soul, and you made me think seriously.
I will look for more information.

[evgen1221]

IMHO the military (successes) of the Taliban are explained by the exit of foreigners and, accordingly, by the understanding of the locals that they have nothing to catch without the support of foreign troops, Plus I do not think that the locals got a lot on the ground from the allocated billions, everything was sawn back in Washington. And training a couple of ceremonies for the media is nothing. Plus a strong tribal way of life, they can make a head off all the relatives of the sikir, if someone starts to fight for amers from the local in earnest.

[nerd.su]

Quote: evgen1221

Plus a strong tribal way of life, they can make all the relatives of the sikir head off, if someone starts to fight for amers from the local in earnest.

The clan structure did not prevent the Najibullah government from holding out for almost three years after the Soviet troops left. And then he suddenly interfered. I think it's all about the quality of American instructors ...
The rest is correctly noted by you.

[hohol95]

The financial side is not described!
Nobody tried to "knock out" their "money soil from under their slippers"!
And I wouldn't buy quadcopters, motorcycles and so on ...
How many countries were "thrown off" against the USSR to supply the "irreconcilable"?
Dozens of countries!
Without money, you won't be full of fighting spirit alone!

[Egoza]

Quote: hohol95

Without money, you won't be full of fighting spirit alone!

They could also receive money from the population, but, of course, the finances did not come from the United States. Ideology is important, VERA! And this is a very powerful factor.
But, excuse me, I am worried about something else. Everyone says: "Study, Ukraine! The United States will leave you just like Afghan!" And it is possible that the opposite is true. Having seen how the official government is thrown and the Taliban seize power, our Nazis will also want this option. In the sense of "let them abandon the Ze government, and we will seize power officially, and the US will not interfere with us" And they have money as well as weapons. And I doubt that the Ukrainian army can and will resist the Nazis, given that the army elite is not happy with Ze.

[hohol95]

They wouldn't have gained so much from the population!
And about the "OUN-UPA" and other 100% of the "undelivered" - everything can be ...
The main thing is farther from the center of the EU and closer to the Russian Federation.

[Crabong]

Exactly where do they get the resources from? Whatever their "army" is compact and flexible ... How much ammunition, fuel, etc. is needed. for such a large-scale action? Legs grow from Pakistan, definitely. And who's behind the Packs? Not an Englishwoman?

[Asad]

It is difficult for Pakistan to finance such an army! And who can provide billions of dollars? I think China is not in vain that the Basmachis do not touch the Chinese mining companies in Afghanistan, while Pakistan is an intermediary, as the actual creator of the Taliban.

[Crabong]

And who is supporting politically? They hang children!

[Alexey RA]

Quote: Krabong

Legs grow from Pakistan, definitely. And who's behind the Packs? Not an Englishwoman?

China has been behind Pakistan for more than half a century. Even in the days when Pakistan was outwardly pro-American, it was pro-Chinese. And one of the main reasons for this union is India.

[Crabong]

Yes, but, and the shaves? Behind Pakistan, politically, there have always been these rats. They created Pakistan as such ... Who gave these natives, these savages nuclear weapons? If we talk about the "system of checks and balances", I think that the British have created there, in this Asia, a very interesting system ... Which works even now ... And the ears of MI-6 stick out there very clearly. Although I am an Anglophobe, but I must give them credit, they even created a branch of religion for these savage Pashtun Taliban ... Yes, and China, in many respects, is penetrated by British influence ...

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

Author!
It seems that these are not the Taliban, but simply the most powerful and invincible army in the universe!
Do not be afraid of them. They're not that scary.
And they didn't break off the horns like that.

[riwas]

Over time, if the Taliban do not attack neighboring countries, the world will perceive Afghanistan as Saudi Arabia with all the ensuing consequences.

[samarin1969]

Their tactics were competent. They were in no hurry to "legalize" the power in the cities. Otherwise, the Americans would have "otmosulili" the "technological army" together with the entire population.
Pashtuns and other peoples have provided an unlimited human reserve. But it was constantly reported about the large losses of the Taliban. Repeated attacks on bases and "police stations" knocked out dozens of trained fighters.
If the "type crusaders" staged a complete "Vietnam" in Afghanistan, then the "technological army" would have won. It would be banal to mow down all the villages of Taliban accomplices. But for this they would have to demolish a couple of neighboring countries "for logistics".

[Silver bullet]

samarin1969
Their tactics were competent. They were in no hurry to "legalize" the power in the cities. Otherwise, the Americans would have "otmosulili" the "technological army" together with the entire population.

There is such a tactic of "flea bites" called. They tested it on our contingent in the 80s. It is generally believed that it is impossible to win a guerrilla war without the total destruction of the local population. After all, the Taliban did not fight with the coalition in divisions against each other. And so, yes, no one began to make a "lunar landscape" out of the villages and for 20 years they guarded themselves at the checkpoints.

[Alex66]

What are the Taliban fighting for? War for the sake of war, because there are some goals for which they strive, for which they are ready to give their lives. Our grandfathers were ready to give their lives for their people, country and therefore won in 1945. And in the First World War, no one needed except a handful of high-ranking bawlers who made money on orders - they lost. Conclusions must be made now. Ideology is needed and the one with whom it is more attractive will win.

[Stirbjorn]

Quote: Alex66

What are the Taliban fighting for? War for the sake of war, because there are some goals for which they strive, for which they are ready to give their lives.

For the liberation of Afghanistan from foreign invaders and their accomplices. Therefore, such rapid successes. Unlike other Islamic groups, they advocate the construction of an Islamic state, exclusively on the territory of Afghanistan.

[Snail N9]

It's right. Their main slogan is down with the invaders, imposing an alien, incomprehensible structure of society and statehood of the "Western persuasion", we are for Sharia law and traditions that are clear to us from childhood.

[moscowp]

Well, the slogan may be, but the activity, as we saw before the Americans arrived, is not limited to Afghanistan. Creeping expansion into Pakistan, when the Taliban in the late 90s actually ruled several provinces of Pakistan, active support for Ichkeria and jihad against Russia

[Tavrik]

Everything is correct. Ethnic age cannot be changed until it changes itself. Therefore, even if you impose socialist or capitalist values, there will be no sense. There is no need to "break them over the knee", accelerating evolution. Let them live with Sharia and traditions that are clear from childhood. After all, there are many such countries and nothing, they live.

[72jora72]

What are the Taliban fighting for?

For the sake of liberating Afghanistan from foreign invaders and their accomplices. Therefore, such rapid successes.

And why then did the Mujahideen and the Taliban (a movement that was once armed, financed and trained by the governments of the United States, Saudi Arabia, Great Britain, Pakistan) fought after the fall of the DRA? There were no "foreign invaders" in that war.

[Stirbjorn]

This is how the Mozhdaheds were armed against the USSR. The Taliban appeared after the fall of the DRA, in response to the mayhem of the commanders of the Mujahideen

[72jora72]

The Taliban appeared after the fall of the DRA, in response to the mayhem of the commanders of the Mujahideen

In other words, an ordinary civil war?

[nikvic46]

The Taliban are going to build an Islamic state. It means there will be a struggle between ideological Islam and unprincipled civilizations. The capitalist civilization has exhausted its existence. It eats itself. So, as a counterbalance, it is necessary to build a society that would attract other peoples. It is very costly to rely only on the force of arms today; it can only help in an invasion of our country. Victories are won by the strong in spirit.

[A. Privalov]

Quote: nikvic46

The Taliban are going to build an Islamic state.

Quite right. They have already seized the presidential palace in Kabul and are building what Muslims of all kinds, colors and shades are building whenever and wherever they appear. And if they haven't built it somewhere else, then it's only a matter of time, if someone hasn't understood it yet.

Movement spokesman Suhail Shahin made statements designed to calm international public opinion. According to him, the current Taliban are significantly different from those that came to power in Afghanistan a quarter of a century ago.

The jihadist said the Taliban are committed to respecting women's rights. They will have to wear modest Muslim clothes, but they will be able to go out on their own, without a male guardian.

He also said that Sharia law will operate in the country. However, only the courts will be able to decide on stoning, beheading and capital punishment.

According to Arab media reports, the statements are strikingly different from what actually happens in the territories controlled by the movement. Women are not only required to wear a burqa - they are forbidden to work. There are also known cases when women were not allowed to go outside without an escort.

[Snail N9]

Well, each state has "cute" traditions and characteristics. For example, Israel is a state of "blood", that is, citizenship - "by blood".

[A. Privalov]

Quote: Snail N9

Well, each state has "cute" traditions and characteristics. For example, Israel is a state of "blood", that is, citizenship - "by blood".

As an example of this, an Israeli citizen, known for his "blood" on VO under the nickname MAZ, is a hardened anti-Semitism, and also, citizens of Israel - Russians, Ukrainians, Arabs, Druze, Armenians, Chechens and many others, more than 25% of the population. So, my dear, do not fool yourself or people and you will be happy.

[Snail N9]

Come on. Go to your embassy website and read the requirements for applying for Israeli citizenship.

[A. Privalov]

Quote: Snail N9

Come on. Go to your embassy website and read the requirements for applying for Israeli citizenship.

This is you, my dear, read. Apparently, you are very interested in this question.
I don’t need that. I am very familiar with the Law of Return.

[Stas157]

Quote: A. Privalov

known for "his blood" on VO under the nickname MAZ - hardened Judophobe

I did not notice this. But I noticed something else. Like nice and intelligent Jews, whom I always liked, they simply lost their human appearance, they openly threatened MAZ. I also noticed that Jews have surprisingly similar opinions on VO on various issues (unlike us Russians). As if they live on the same training manual. But Maz here is an exception to the rule. And he gets it from all his native tribesmen ... but then any anti-Semitic will become!

Quote: A. Privalov

citizens of Israel - Russians, Ukrainians, Arabs, Druze, Armenians, Chechens and many others, more 25% of the population

What's right without Jewish blood ??

[A. Privalov]

Quote: Stas157

What's right without Jewish blood ??

Well, how is it, "Without Jewish blood"?
Of course, all without exception Russians, Ukrainians, Arabs, Druze, Armenians, Chechens and others, before obtaining citizenship, without fail receive a portion of Jewish blood intravenously.
You will ask Maz.

[stalkerwalker]

Quote: A. Privalov

Of course, all without exception Russians, Ukrainians, Arabs, Druze, Armenians, Chechens and others, before obtaining citizenship, without fail receive a portion of Jewish blood intravenously

Tin!
Do they put needles in the jugular or sleepy?

[A. Privalov]

Quote: stalkerwalker

Tin!
Do they put needles in the jugular or sleepy?

Especially abutting - with an enema, rectally.

[stalkerwalker]

Quote: A. Privalov

Especially abutting - with an enema, rectally

You fiends ...

[A. Privalov]

Quote: stalkerwalker

You fiends ...

Yes, they are. As they say, what are rich ...

[EvilLion]

The army does not consist of reconnaissance companies. More precisely, it consists of half a percent, and the German successes are not motorcycles, and not tanks over which one should cry, but mobile artillery.

[OgnennyiKotik]

Nowhere and never is there a single component of success. Any victory consists of many factors. It is impossible to argue about the extreme importance of mobile artillery. And with this they are doing fine.

[DrRey]

The Taliban are fighting to liberate their country from foreign invaders. This is welcomed by the local population. What will happen if you try to move the war outside of Afghanistan? How will this be perceived by the people of Afgan? Will the Taliban remain with the support of the people?

[EvilLion]

For the locals there is no such thing as "their own state", do not write nonsense, there every aul and kishlak for centuries is for itself.

[Snail N9]

Absolutely right. Now the only unifying idea there is to rob the occupiers and those who support them. When this is over and the Taliban have established themselves as the only force, then everything will begin. The Taliban are not workers, they are a gang that straddled the flows of aid from Islamic states wishing to build a World Islamic Caliphate. But this help is not enough. The Taliban will need to find money for their existence. And where will they look for them?
Plunder your population? It is fraught. They will have to invite someone to earn money, but then they will have to somehow control and protect it, because the tribes may demand their share from the development of the fields and from what the Taliban have earned. In any case, it will not be easy for them.

[Cat]

I will support. In medieval consciousness, there is no concept of the state, and the concept of homeland is limited to the native village. It's ridiculous to talk about a nation-state in Afghanistan.

[kill the fascist]

I also thought about it. Underestimating the enemy as well as exaggerating his strength does not lead to anything good. Be that as it may, the Taliban are not a regular army and are waging a guerrilla war. A successful guerrilla war is possible where part of the local population supports the partisans. And if in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia the Taliban will still be able to get some kind of significant support among the locals, then in Kazakhstan, I think, there will already be much less support. Not to mention Russia. And as the history of Afghanistan shows, the locals strive to destroy the invader on their land - they are not so interested in expansion.

[voyaka uh]

"The Taliban are fighting to liberate their country from foreign invaders." ///
---
The Taliban are the Pashtun people.
North of Afghanistan - Turkic peoples,
center - Hazaras, Mongolian blood.
There are Arabs, Iranians.
Pashtuns for them are a hostile people.

[Alt 22]

they simply systematically exterminate all persons loyal to the official government in Kabul: public figures, officials, doctors, journalists

- this is the tactics of Bandera, they exterminated all dissidents in the same way.

[EvilLion]

What smart Taliban, they fight on motorcycles. If they have such an enemy, then motorcycles are strong, but I would see how they will fight against our army, which has both aviation and tanks, and the main level of training is such that it cannot be deployed with primitive means.

[OgnennyiKotik]

Quote: EvilLion

I would watch them fight against our army

So they fought already. Here are the results of almost 10 years of the Soviet Union's stay in Afghanistan:

Irrecoverable losses of the USSR amounted to 15051 people, including:

• SA servicemen - 14427 people.
• Subdivisions of the Military Commission and the KGB of the USSR - 576 people.
• Formations of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs - 28 people.
• Other ministries and departments - 20 people.
Average daily losses - 4 people.
Sanitary losses - 469685 people, including:
• Wounded, shell-shocked, traumatized - 53753 people.
• 415932 people got sick.
455071 people were returned to service.

Losses of equipment and weapons were:
• Aircraft - 118;
• Helicopters - 333;
• Tanks - 147;
• BMP, BMD, armored personnel carriers - 1138;
• guns and mortars - 433;
• Radio stations and command and staff vehicles - 1138;
• Engineering vehicles - 510;
• Flatbed cars and fuel trucks - 11369.

417 servicemen were missing and taken prisoner. 130 people returned to their homeland. Subsequently (until 1992), 119 prisoners were freed. As of February 15, 2009, 270 people remained on the list of missing persons. As of March 1, 2013 (according to various sources), these lists included 264 people.

To support the Kabul government, $ 800 million was spent annually from the USSR budget. On the maintenance of the 40th Army and the conduct of hostilities from the budget of the USSR, from 3 to 8,2 billion US dollars were spent annually.

[EvilLion]

This is almost 10 years of war, during which the mujahideen did not achieve anything in the military plan, and at the tactical level they lost in 99% of cases. Their greatest success was the destruction of the battalion in 1985, after which the division commander was removed from command and kicked out to Belarus, since for the Soviet army such a defeat was something unthinkable. The USSR left not because it could not win all battles in a row, but because any number of tactical victories had no effect, well, if you kill a hundred, another hundred will come in its place, and then another. Maybe you can bomb everything by solving the problem with genocide, but the USSR, as it were, helped the legitimate government. And the infantry can run around the mountains endlessly, periodically getting stuck in ambushes.

The same Vietnamese, for example, showed a much better result, while the American group was up to 500 thousand people.

In Syria, everything would have ended long ago, if not for the showdown between the powers.

[OgnennyiKotik]

Quote: EvilLion

The USSR left not because it could not win all battles in a row, but because any number of tactical victories had no effect, well, if you kill a hundred, another hundred will come in its place, and then another.

And why did the USA leave? It's exactly the same. True, in 2 times more time, they lost more than 2 times fewer people (I count together with the PMC).

The only way out is this:
Destruction of a third of the population, resettlement of another third of the population to another territory, instead of them the settlement of loyal peoples. So you can win by capturing territory.

[ViacheslavS]

True, in 2 times more time, they lost more than 2 times fewer people (I count together with the PMC).

So their military successes are more modest, the USSR controlled almost the entire territory of Afghanistan and the abandoned government held out for three more years under international pressure.

[ism_ek]

Quote: OgnennyiKotik

True, in 2 times more time, they lost more than 2 times fewer people (I count together with the PMC).

The Mujahideen were much better armed than the modern Taliban.

As the analysis of the hostilities in Afghanistan in the early 80s shows, the RPG density was one grenade launcher for 8-12 people, but by the end of the 80s. the saturation of combat groups with them has almost doubled. 1986-1987 the saturation of combat detachments with various recoilless guns is also sharply growing. Moreover, this trend continued until the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan in 1989. Already by the end of the 80s. each organized combat group of 25-30 people was armed with an 82-mm Type 65 recoilless gun and 4-6 RPGs. In addition, in each detachment, consisting of 3-4 combat "infantry" groups, there was a group of weapons in service which consisted of 75-mm Type 56-2 guns, mortars and rocket systems.
https://topwar.ru/30729-protivotankovoe-oruzhie-pehoty-v-afganistane.html

Plus Stingers, satellite communications ... And that's all 40 years ago ...

[lubesky]

[/ Quote]
And why did the USA leave? It's exactly the same. True, in 2 times more time, they lost more than 2 times fewer people (I count together with the PMC). [/ Quote]
Who armed and equipped the Mujahideen in the 80s? Didn't the whole world pounce on OKSVA? And who equipped and armed the Taliban against America? Compare logistics and logistics. Rate the level of assistance - stinger and satellite in the 80s and motorcycles now. OKSVA carried out its combat missions without sitting at the bases

[Vadim237]

Probably because the Taliban were not helped with weapons and training as they were in the 80s.

[Baron pardus]

You are absolutely right that "Lost in half the number of people", but the problems lie in the details. For example, at the level of our field medicine and its organization. In World War II, Korea and Vietnam, for every American killed, there were an average of 3 wounded / maimed. The same figures are for the Soviet army. But in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have completely different figures for each KILLED - 10 wounded / maimed. that is, with us now, the guys are surviving who simply would not have survived in Vietnam. They survive, but in what condition they survive and how crippled they are to you, and NOBODY will tell our civilians. The Pentagon is talking about Our IKS killed. These KILLED do not include: a) Missing + deserted, and there are such. b) Deceased AFTER 3 hours after injury. Those are like DOW, not KIA (Died Of Wounds, rather than Killed In Action). These do not affect the statistics either. Our commanders HONESTLY talk about the losses of KIA. But they are silent about others. But as a doctor, I saw a lot. So that's it. yes, for every killed / deceased 10 injured / maimed, now they SURVIVAL from such wounds from which they would have died in Vietnam. They survive, but to what extent they have a fulfilling life is another question. I already wrote about my colleague - a Puerto Rican, whose face was fused by an explosion. It just melted. Together with eyes, nose, lips ... just FUSED. Yes, Hands kept his legs. But he was concussed so that he can't really control them, he can walk on a walker, the soft tissues of his hands were also burned, even having melted the material of the gloves into the skin ... The surgeons restored ... ah. Nose eyes, no ears. There, almost everything burned to the bone. Spawn and Freddy Krueger are resting ... According to statistics, he is not killed (although in Nam, he would have survived). Naturally, the guy's life is over (he was 24 years old). There will be no normal life, wife, girlfriend, children. So far, the last thing I heard about him is he is being looked after by Rodoks and brothers / sisters. IT IS CONSIDERED that "not killed but wounded" but how much such a wounded person differs from a killed one. Yes, and how many of those who our doctors and the evacuation system and the equipment of doctors, and the doctors themselves, HAVE DRIVEN FROM DEATH, but who are permanently crippled. And not just lost a leg there, you can live normally without a leg, but since this guy or worse ... Well, in short, you understand me. about a third of these wounded survivors are crippled so that although their lives were saved, it will already be existence and not life.

[Eule]

Quote: Baron Pardus

those who have fallen without a trace+

Please tell us, how and when is a missing person declared dead? This is a very painful topic in the Second World War, but what is it like in the USA now?

[Trapp1st]

And why did the USA leave? It's exactly the same. True, in 2 times more time, they lost more than 2 times fewer people (I count together with the PMC).

We must take into account the realities, if Russia supplied the Afghans with the latest weapons in full, and the neighboring states had training bases with unlimited human resources, then the Americans would drown in their own blood ...

[Yaroslav Tekkel]

It seems to me that there were training bases in one neighboring state.

[Cat]

Irrecoverable losses of the USSR amounted to 15051 people, including:

Now, for comparison, give the losses of the opposite side. And everything will fall into place.

[Tavrik]

Here it is necessary to be measured not by the number of losses, but by the degree of achievement of the goal. We wanted to build a socialist Afghanistan - it didn't work out. The Americans wanted to build a controlled democratic Afghanistan - it did not work out. This is the bottom line. And the rest - with what speed who left, what losses, who was taken out - does not matter.

[svskor80]

It is not indicated who benefits from the existence of this structure. Who feeds with money, weapons. It is unlikely that the Afghans do everything themselves: bikes, quadcopters, rifles, grenade launchers .. The most interesting is why the same Americans could not do anything about it, because they clearly understood the root of the problem.

[Anzhey V.]

It is not indicated who benefits from the existence of this structure

I deliberately avoided this topic in the article, tk. the expert community as a whole has no clear answer to this question. Conspiracy was raised in conversations more than once, however ...

In any case, if we talk about something like that, it is better in a separate article.

[Snail N9]

The Saudis, Kuwait and Pakistan are the main beneficiaries ... There, Iran is also trying to do something to counterbalance this fraternity, but so far without much success. And - the United States, Americans - so any forces that create a belt of instability around Russia, China and throughout the world are beneficial, but far from the United States itself.

[voyaka uh]

"Saudis, Kuwait" ///
---
No - Qatar. Rival of Saud and Kuwait.
The Taliban leadership is in Qatar.

[Alexey RA]

Quote: Snail N9

The Saudis, Kuwait and Pakistan are the main beneficiaries ... There, Iran is also trying to do something to counterbalance this fraternity, but so far without much success. And - the United States, Americans - so any forces that create a belt of instability around Russia, China and throughout the world are beneficial, but far from the United States itself.

That is, Pakistan, for which China is the closest ally and the last hope against India, together with the United States, is creating a belt of instability around China?

[Vadim237]

Most likely they have been making money to supply their contingent as well as making money with the Afghan government in the production and sale of heroin all these years.

[sevtrash]

This all means that they have the support of the masses. There are human resources, there are material resources. Where these resources come from is the main question. They controlled rural areas - are there people, where does the money come from? - Growing drugs with the logistics of transporting consumers? And more support from some countries?

[Cypa]

In addition, the militants actively use bikes right in battle, transferring the calculations of heavy weapons - heavy machine guns, grenade launchers and anti-material rifles. And what kind of rifles are they? Sur what-to

[vadimtt]

Normal, anti-material
These are mainly snipers starting from .50 caliber, but there are also exotics in 20-25mm.

[impostor]

"Throughout history, no one has ever been able to conquer Afghanistan"

[OgnennyiKotik]

Another delirium. "9th Company" is one of the filthiest films of our time, in which outright lies are mixed with delirium. A spit in the face of the veterans of that war. Afghanistan was conquered more than once, but it was independent for a few decades.
The Swedes sang and ours added a video series that is hundreds of times better than this film.

[impostor]

Quote: OgnennyiKotik

"9th company" is one of the filthiest films of our time, in which outright lies are mixed with delirium

We didn’t see the leitmotif, we worked offhand. The point is not at all in the historical veracity and quality of Bondarchuk's film. The film is used as an illustration. The thing is that a simple thought was expressed through the lips of the hero Serebryakov: it is impossible to conquer a state if it is a people. You can overthrow the regime, win a military victory over the regime, but it is impossible to defeat the people. It is important to understand that the Taliban at some point became the very people of Afghanistan. The Kremlin has also realized this, as evidenced by the latest steps taken by the foreign ministry, despite the fact that the organization is banned in Russia.

[Revival]

"It is possible to overthrow the regime, to win a military victory over the regime, but it is impossible to defeat the people."

Stupidity, it is quite possible

[Terran ghost]

You can overthrow the regime, win a military victory over the regime, but it is impossible to defeat the people.

Well, at one time, Great Britain conquered India and kept it as part of the British Empire for a century and a half.

[Alexey RA]

Quote: impostor

You can overthrow the regime, win a military victory over the regime, but it is impossible to defeat the people.

Can. It's just that only historians remember about the defeated peoples.

[gohomeyanki]

Oh well. Afghan was captured by everyone who passed there. But to make them work for 8-12 hours, instead of 4, they study for 20 years, and they failed to sell other benefits of civilization. Aborigines, what you take from them, do not understand their happiness.

Hundreds and thousands of peoples disappeared from history, hundreds were destroyed, assimilated. Dozens in the near future will not be able to become great again, but will remain a trifle, the same Brits, Swedes, Italy, their chances of becoming large again are zero.

[ViacheslavS]

Here everything will overestimate what to invest in the concept of conquering.

[Revival]

This is not true, Afghanistan would have been conquered for a long time

[YOUR.]

Anti-tank mines ignore light motorcycles

Strongly doubt.
A motorcycle with a rider with weapons and ammo?
As a rule, an ATM is triggered by a weight of ~ 200 kg.

[meandr51]

One wheel does not exceed 140 kg.

[Disorder]

A certain "feudal fragmentation" is characteristic of the East. Even during the presence of a limited contingent, there was no united front among the Mujahideen, and after its withdrawal, a conglomerate of "appanage principalities" was formed in the territories not controlled by the government, where each region was controlled by some gang. It was from those dissatisfied with this situation that the Taliban was formed, which demolished both the appanage princelings, and at the same time the government power.
Now the Taliban is a conglomerate of various groups united by certain interests.

[Anton B]

antimatter rifles

Is this the level of analytics or am I missing something in the area of ​​discovery

[Revival]

This is such a fashionable name for rifles from 12.7mm and above, they say for cars, armored personnel carriers, etc.

[Alexey RA]

Quote: Anton B

Is this the level of analytics or am I missing something in the area of ​​discovery

This is the general name for sniper systems, the main purpose of which is not l / s, but equipment - all kinds of lightly armored vehicles, as well as radio stations, radars and other expensive, piece and fragile electronics.

[Poruchikgt]

If a guerrilla movement has the support of the population, then it is invincible. Even the Germans, with their scorched earth tactics, could not even stop the activities of the psrtizans.

[Revival]

"If a partisan movement has the support of the population, then it is invincible."

Well, yes, it is difficult to win if there are resources outside, otherwise it will completely fizzle out.

[geologist]

Where can the people's militia get money? Are you seriously? I will give examples from the school history course. Let's say the zemstvo militia of Minin and Pozharsky existed on voluntary donations and, for sure, at the expense of the taxes of their territory. The revolutionaries in tsarist Russia robbed banks. The Amur partisans from Tryapitsin's division plundered gold mines, and then bought weapons and food for rough gold from the Chinese military flotilla, the nominal allies of Japan and the United States, which had a little quarrel. And where did Batko Makhno get the money? Duc is the explication of explicators however. German immigrant farmers were immediately put on taxes. The Taliban here operate according to the usual scheme of self-sufficiency, assistance from Muslim and other sympathetic countries and, possibly, at the expense of the betrayal of one of the NATO allies.

[Siegfried]

Their tactics are always the same, hidden penetration (accumulation), then a simultaneous strike from outside and actions inside the attacked city. In the city, under the control of the government, up to a thousand militants are accumulating. This suggests that there is still support from the population and corruption too. Now everyone has a fear of opposing them, knowing what will happen next. Those who perform are forced to flee abroad. To move all Taliban to Russia, even with full provision of weapons and ammunition, they would be killed in a few weeks.

[saygon66]

- Afghan Taliban - maybe ... And scout the locals - I don't even know ... "Students" is an ideology and not a nationality ...

[av58]

The "ultra-modern war machine" called the Taliban is either a joke or a stupidity.
The Taliban could do nothing against the regular US and NATO armies, no matter how limited their capabilities in Afghanistan were. The Taliban's victory is the result of the weakness of the Afghan army, which does not know for whom and for what it must fight and die. A corrupt regime without an army is nothing, and the people, by and large, don't give a damn about who is in power, peace would be ensured. And so it happened: the leadership of Afghanistan fled to where they kept the money, the army fled, and the people greeted the Taliban.
Nevertheless, the tactics of the Taliban should be studied, you can probably find something interesting, although the same mobile motorcycle units are well known: this is a rehash of the carts of the Civil War, and German motorcycle patrols during the Wehrmacht war in Western Europe, and the first months of the Great Patriotic War. war.

[Encessidy]

And how to distinguish a Taliban commander from a private, by his turban with a star or by his beard?

[saygon66]

- And in the beard, including ... Their units are small - cells rather. They know each other by sight.

[Oleg Zorin]

At the very beginning, the author pointed out the fundamental prerequisite for victory - the willingness to endure hardships, die and kill. The rest is secondary, particular

[lynnot]

So to speak, their ideological and political training and motivation are at their best, right up to fanaticism, which is complemented by good military training, equipment and tactics optimized for the local theater of military operations.

[Evgeny Chernykh]

Who benefits from this? Who supplies the weapons? Chinese motorcycles, found out; weapon? China, Pakistan, Iran, USA, etc? And, in any case, these countries are among those condemning the Taliban))) During the US presence, the number of the Taliban has doubled ...

[saygon66]

- Motivation! The highest motivation is what allows "students" to achieve success ... Just what we are sorely lacking now!

[Phoenix]

There is a very lack of justification for all these high-profile conclusions. On what basis does the author make such statements? Impressed by the defeat of the United States? Not enough for analytics.

[svoit]

Quote: lubesky

OKSVA carried out its combat missions without sitting at the bases

This is the main mistake, the Afghans themselves should fight, and we should sit at the bases, provide air and special support, and train loyal Afghans

[meandr51]

Why should they fight? And why? The Taliban are religiously motivated, but what are the "democrats"? It is impossible to defeat the Taliban without the same opposite ideology.

[gohomeyanki]

Interestingly, although there are many praises. If we compare the effectiveness of the Taliban and the United States.
Losses of the USA 2000 people. The loss of the Taliban is 100000 people. Calculate the percentage of effectiveness yourself.

Whether it is worth creating motorcycle crews, well, with such efficiency it is not worth it. Only if there are many people, few weapons.

ps But in theory, if the Afghan army did not flee and surrender, would the motorcycles help?

[Radical]

Quote: Tatiana

Speaking about the future of Afghanistan and neighboring countries, the following should be noted. Namely.

1. Regional branch of IG is active in Afghanistan - "Vilayat Khorasan" or "Islamic State - Khorasan" numbering from 1 to 1,5 militants.
2. Besides the IG, mid-2000s Taliban, entrenched in the Waziristan region on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan, interacted with al-Qaeda cells hiding there.

At the stage of the struggle for power the Taliban could enter into ad hoc alliances with militants of the terrorist movements Al-Qaeda and Islamic State * banned in Russia - Khorasan ", but now both of these structures are not just COMPETITORS, but ENEMIES for the Taliban movement, its militants and warlords. " The coming to power of a radical Islamist force represented by the Taliban will not mean an alliance of the Taliban with other radical Islamists.
In this case, The Taliban have already refused to create any TRANSITIONAL - COALITIONAL - government in Afghanistan!

Then, on the one hand, it means a CIVIL war in Afghanistan.
On the other hand, if the Taliban focus on building their Taliban Caliphate in Afghanistan, where will the IS and Al-Qaeda militants move? In the best case for Russia, they will move to Syria and Iraq, and in general to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, etc.

As for the government forces and the Taliban, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova noted that these two opposing forces in Afghanistan are government and Taliban (the Taliban movement is banned in Russia) - are the result of the "thought process" of the United States, which staged in this country ANOTHER EXPERIMENT ,

In order to establish this banality, it is not necessary to graduate from MGIMO!
Lady - a set of platitudes, mixed with eroticism.

[meandr51]

The Taliban's war machine is based on discipline and one-man rule, which is impossible without ideology and brutality. In this case, it is a special religion. Therefore, the Afghan "democratic" army will always lose to them.
But such partisan armies can only fight armies that, to one degree or another, respect the rights of civilians. The strategy of genocide and scorched earth is murderous for them. If Afghanistan were completely cleansed of the population of weapons of mass destruction, then there would be no Taliban.

[Radical]

Quote: stalkerwalker

Quote: A. Privalov

Especially abutting - with an enema, rectally

You fiends ...

Estessno - Eichmann, Barbier are the same - Goebbels, Schicklgruber, and many others!

[Agent cooper]

It's time for some cool stories. The Americans were in Afghanistan for 20 years, successfully driving the Taliban underground so that the losses of the Americans were negligible. The fact that the Afghan army collapsed immediately after the withdrawal of US troops is probably a big fault of the low morale of the fighters and not the merit of the Taliban.

[Vadim237]

It's just that the United States fought the Taliban in Afghanistan in the same way as with ISIS in Syria - that is, ostentatiously and not much.

[yaglon]

I have a question for the author. What do you think, and what prevented the Americans from equipping the Afghan army with the same quadcopters instead of the Super Tucano and the same motorcycles instead of the MRAP? For $ 88 billion it was possible to buy, probably, a million drones and the same amount of cheap motorcycles. Sluggish thinking of the American military? Or would that change nothing? Would the Afghan "military" surrender just as quickly?

[St_Igor]

One Afghan said that the rest of the world will not leave his country alone, that Afghans have the right and want to decide their own destiny, and every time someone intervenes from the outside. And he's right. Let them live as they want. We need to work proactively with our Afghan neighbors; The Taliban will not be able to do anything bad to Russia in this case. And if they have 100% Sharia there, then what do we care?

[Vadim Kraft]

When reading this opus, I laughed, and if there are no questions about the fact that the use of quadrocopters for reconnaissance is mega useful, then the motorized infantry on motorcycles just laughed, the cars are visible from the air, and dust to the sky from hundreds of motorcycles with a wild roar moving towards the target of the attack, well, completely invisible and not even audible.
And the success of the Taliban is that they are supported by the population and the army of Afghanistan, consisting of the population, the same does not see the point in killing their relatives and neighbors, especially if they are not paid their salaries for 3 months.
It is enough to watch the video of how the Taliban "storm" Kabul, a cavalcade of motorcycles and cars rides, crowds of Afghans stand along the road, who joyfully welcome the cavalcade.

[ecolog]

wondering why motorcycles are without wheelchairs? The machine gun can also be conveniently placed there.

[yaglon]

By the way, about "motorcycles with machine guns" (which the book hero, poet Homeless, did not wait - like the Afghan army), I remembered that in the 80s the US Army actively experimented with the organization and there was such an experimental 9th ​​motorized division - Nominally had a motorcycle platoon in the reconnaissance squadron (19 motorcycles). However, things did not go beyond experiments.

[ecolog]

The motorcycle is a comparatively poor technique. In interwar Germany, there were not very many personal cars, but wider strata could afford motorcycles. Americans can afford to ride the Marines on something more advanced.

[Edward Vashchenko]

Informative article !!!! Thank you!

[svoit]

Quote: St_Igor

Let them live as they want

yes, who will give them that? for them the Taliban will decide everything, although half of the population is against the Taliban

[ilpine]

The author did not dissolve an extremely important block - this is the ideological and ideological substantiation of the justice of the Taliban war, the improvement of the institution of mullahs, which together they strongly unite with the mass of the local population of Afghanistan. Slogans in the name of Allah, the homeland and against the occupants were not only not secondary, but united the Taliban and many local residents.

[Zodd zverev]

Vooot! Fine.

The invaders are gone, and now AGAINST WHOM?

The Taliban are facing a serious ideological crisis. For some time they can be occupied with internal cleansing and reprisals against those who are not faithful enough.

And then?

[Lech from Android.]

And then everything will repeat itself, following the example of the old Bolsheviks and Comrade Stalin ... nothing is new under the moon.

[ecolog]

Yes, everything is simpler. The Taliban are ready to die and kill for their vision of Islam and their way of life. But the government forces do not. Therefore, how not to load them with weapons, how not to teach, there is no sense. As soon as the white Sahib leaves, everything collapses. As I understand it, these guys are mainly engaged in budget development and personal enrichment. There is no ideology behind them, which means there is nothing to fight for, it is easier to scatter.
Here we need an occupation not for 20-50 years, but for centuries, so that even great-grandfathers would remember only the secular state and their secular great-grandfather.
But it is long, expensive and nobody needs it.

[Zodd zverev]

Most of the Taliban are also not ready to die for their beliefs. We have all seen how "slippers" change their shoes in Syria.

It's just that a bearded guy comes to the checkpoint and says: brother, the Americans are gone. There will be no dough. Come with us to plunder Kabul? Or tomorrow we will come to kill you. Why do you need it?

And now, the Taliban are replenished! Because, but the truth is why?

It was exactly the same in Syria.

[Basarev]

The effectiveness of the Taliban should not be overestimated. Many of you suspect that, in fact, the infusion of the West into the Afghan army was in fact a colossal cut of the collective West. This also includes the purely symbolic participation of NATO troops (but where the Afghan troops did not admit and the NATO members fought specifically, the Taliban were unable to do so). So, such a frivolous attitude to the war led to such a result. And besides, there is one more thing: against the militants, threats of the XXI century, they used the tactics of the XX century - and received such a defeat. Nobody thought about what aviation decides. It is known that in Yugoslavia, aviation solved 96% of all fire missions, and since then has made a huge step forward. That is, it was necessary to launch an air war against the militants, to destroy them with guided munitions from high-altitude drones ... But by the way, there is another suspicion: the withdrawal of NATO from Afghanistan is a planned step: the real goal is a huge wave of fugitives from those regions - in order to pierce the Central Asian unfinished and explode into Russia. Then this is a very far-sighted move on the part of the Americans.

[ecolog]

the Yugoslavs, or rather the Serbs, did not have Pakistan at their side, where they could sit out, rearm and replenish themselves. And no one will touch you there. And before that, they generally sponsored against the USSR, albeit not just the Taliban, but their predecessors. Therefore, the North Vietnamese were able to, the North Koreans held out, but the Serbs did not.
I don’t understand anything else. The Taliban are mainly Pashtuns and no matter how they sing to us that a Muslim is a friend and brother to a Muslim, regardless of origin, but this is not so. And where are the field commanders of the Afghan Uzbeks and Tajiks? It is clear that the official Afghan army is a budget drink at all levels, both in the United States and in Kabul, but where are the "Majahideen"?

[Basarev]

Not in that sense. It meant that now it is possible to win a war with air power alone, and without even risking the pilots. Attack drones changed everything. When the enemy does not have aviation and a very relative air defense, it is quite possible to operate with the Douai doctrine, which I consider to be the only true one in our century. As Pompey said - who rules in the sky, the master of the situation.

[ecolog]

did Pompey have Lancaster? What does Douay have to do with it when an elephant and a pug collide (with all due respect to the Serbs). The Serbs had an understanding that they would be bombed in the Stone Age and that they had enough expired axes for that. And a subscription, like the Vietnamese, is not expected. The same strategic bombing of the British and Americans during WWII, of course, drank German blood, but did not cancel the land phase in all its glory.
Shock drones successfully hit weddings, but so far there has not been a conflict of more or less equal opponents with a developed air defense system and comparable military and economic potential. Armenians don't count. So far, mostly anti-flood wars.

[Igor Smirnov]

The article is complete nonsense and I don't even want to disassemble it in detail, and people who are not couch analysts will understand and know so why the author of the article, with his fantasies and pulling an owl on the globe, here inflated out of the FORCED need to use hacks and household blahs, like some kind of super war trick and the advancement of the Talibos. Well, just think about such an elementary question: why the hell, then, the armies of many countries buy NORMAL UAVs for much more money, if there is a cheap alternative - a Phantom-type UAV ?! !

[Lev mauser]

Here, even at the very beginning: "... the Taliban are a very little-known topic in Russia ..." TS, I suspect that it is little known to you. Otherwise, the nonsense that goes on: "..." slippers "are high-class military professionals ..." - for whom is it written ?? The same "Slippers", armed to the teeth and "brought up" by the same military specialists, in Syria, to put it mildly, crap.
HARDWARE, if you write for a small bribe, depending on the number of characters in the note, then designate it somehow ... Otherwise, an idea arises that completely unflatteringly characterizes you.
With respect))

[Stepan S]

All their advantage is that they are terrorists and can afford to kill anyone they see fit, thereby intimidating people and demoralizing the army.

[Zodd zverev]

Oh, as if the army there is direct holy)))

Half of the army organically merged with the Taliban. This speaks volumes.

[zloybond]

This admiration for the Taliban will backfire on Russia, there are rabble from all over Asia, who will then go to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It is not in vain that the local neighboring kings fidget. Afraid of continuing in the future. And this only needs time to put things in order and move their movement further across the borders.

[ecolog]

Where is the admiration? The usual diplomatic verbiage about nothing. Or should we immediately start bombing and bring in a contingent? And the reason? What about the legal basis? What's the point at last? None of this yet. It seems that those who are supposed to study quietly and calmly and prepare for what is needed.

[Zodd zverev]

How to drink will come back to haunt.

I understand that it's fun to insert a US hairpin. Although the United States acted in general as reasonable as possible, and Biden said the right words in one century: to die for your "country"? Which one you yourself don't care about? Dubious joy.

Indeed, the "country" collapsed in less than a month. The weapons were in bulk, they threw them and fled. Or they joined the Taliban. So why is this waltz in shit?

But all the giggles and joy, as well as the handshakes with the bearded men - this is completely short-sighted. This infection will still come out sideways to us.

[Lech from Android.]

So far, the whole Western world is fidgeting, the Germans took out 22 liters of Bavarian beer from Afgan , Ukrainian goldaten was thrown at the base by the allies ... that's an indicator of European solidarity ... a disgrace.

[Gunther]

Quote: Author

If you think the Taliban are scattered guerrilla units without equipment ..

I wonder why the "analyst" decided that we were thinking nonsense
or it is customary for "analysts" to ask oneself a stupid question, attribute it to the interlocutor, and dashingly answer oneself

[Zodd zverev]

The article is, of course, very close to the other article. Criminal, about the justification of terrorism.

The Taliban are not a magical fighting machine of the future. The secret of their success has already been voiced here several times: in fact, no one opposed them, and half of the so-called government troops simply went over to their side, the rest ran away from harm's way.

Who is to blame for this? No one. People simply followed those with whom it was more profitable. Why the hell would anyone defend some president in Kabul? For what?

Why did the government last much longer after the withdrawal of Soviet troops? Because it was stupidly unprofitable for the Mujahideen to seize power. They were partisans, they were paid for guerrilla warfare. And if Kabul is captured, they will stop paying. We have to do something ourselves, but why?

Afghanistan remained pro-Soviet until 1992, received resources from the USSR and hung like a stone around its neck. So great! The Mujahideen continued to run through the mountains and attack here and there. Exactly according to the previously supplied technical specifications.

The USSR disappeared, the project lost its meaning and funding. There was a sense in taking over the country. Or rather, in turning it into a feudal patchwork quilt. Because in fact there is no Afghanistan, just as there is no Afghan nation.

Now the Taliban control the entire territory of the country. But it seems that this will not last very long, and the territory will again be divided into parts between the warring factions. Unless, of course, external sponsors give this whole gang some clear vector. Moreover, it is external. Which is sad.

No, for a couple more years the Taliban have something to do inside the territory (this is not a country). And then the guys will start to get bored and divide the flows of dough. Smart puppeteers will give them new quests. But, of course, there is a chance that the puppeteers are not very smart.

Afghans haven't really formed a nation. This process generally took place in the world in the 17th and 18th centuries; whoever overslept was late. For example, the same Russian Caucasus. There are many republics cut up there, and everything seems to look good. Exactly as long as the money pours in. Turn off the tap (as it was in the 90s), you will get the same patchwork quilt of teips, clans and tribes as in Afghanistan. This is not a theory, it has definitely happened.

Why did the Americans leave there? I think it's a banal behind-the-scenes exchange. We are tired of pouring money into “democratic institutions”. We saw the cost of these institutions instantly: 20 years of attempts at construction and three weeks for complete collapse. Worth it?

Apparently, the “partners” decided that some other forces would make better use of this dubious resource. Well, and again: to pit the interests of China against the same Qatar and Pakistan on the territory. Let them divide and quarrel, everything is fine.

Probably, the problem of Afghanistan can only be solved by dividing this pseudo-country into some parts. This is not a country, this is a locality, it is unlikely that it can be effectively united even by religion under the banner of Islam.

There are many Islamic countries in the world, but some of them do not form a kind of Islamic Union (like a theoretical analogue of the European Union, for example). Muslims kill Muslims with great joy; the idea of ​​a united Islamic emirate does not take off at all, only in the utopian dreams of students.

But it is a fact: radical Islamic armies are quite successful in Muslim lands. Both ISIS and Taliban, as we see.

However, exactly as long as there is a common vector of struggle. As soon as there are several vectors, civil strife begins. Examples: Chechnya and Syria. In Afghanistan it will either be the same, or the Taliban will expand beyond the borders of Afghanistan, which is not what we would like.

[Tavrik]

Militant detachments have successfully mastered the high-speed transfer of personnel and heavy weapons on motorcycles.

Dragoons are at a new stage of development.

[HOWEVER 200]

Another burp from 1979

an example when gray people became the head of a huge country.
There were only 12 years left before the death of this huge formation, and the grayness wanted to rule in Asian and Muslim Afghanistan, ALTHOUGH, in fact, there was NO Soviet power in Soviet Central Asia itself.

[squid]

Even from this article it is clear that the Taliban are those bare-assed rebels who win by “triumph of will.” So what they say is correct.
Motorcycles, quadcopters, night vision devices (available to anyone and everyone), “tens of millions of dollars” - all these are pitiful pennies compared to a couple of trillions of American costs and Western weapons. They know how to fight - but what did you want? There is a will to learn.

[atakan]

Quote: raw174

Quote: restless

Everyone was waiting for the command: "to Tbilisi", but it was not received,

What for? In S. Ossetia our soldiers were greeted as liberators, but in Georgia they would have been an enemy. The earth would burn under our feet... Yes, Tbilisi would be taken, so what? Why does Russia need this constantly smoldering hearth and base in hostile territory?

How likely is it that a Georgian with his gang would have fled from Tbilisi in that situation? He is a pathological coward, we remember how he ate his tie.
So it was possible to get there, stand in the suburbs and at crossroads for a couple of days, and then leave as planned. And there would be more chaos and the power would be different, but what difference does it make to us to the Georgians, who is in charge there and no one was hired to hold control at that time.

[Evil eye]

bikers on bikes