Can the US defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan?

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The very simple, yet determined, Taliban have proved to be far smarter in their fighting strategies than the so-called Syrian "revolutionaries." 

The facts speak for themselves: the Syrian "revolution" is pretty much over, while the Taliban continue to make this the longest war for the US, with no end in sight. The US, just like the Soviets before, is going to be driven out.

How can the Taliban outsmart and defeat such powerful enemies?

They have studied history and know their strengths and weaknesses. They rely on dynamic guerrilla war and always surprise the enemy. Most importantly they rely on themselves and have no illusions about a "political solution."

The Syrians failed because they reused to learn.

Can the United States defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan? Security is worsening as the Taliban continue to control large parts of the country.

The US war against the Taliban in Afghanistan began soon after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Sixteen years on, what progress has been made?

A new report suggests very little. The security situation is only getting worse by the day. About 500 Afghan soldiers are being killed every month and the United Nationssays civilian casualties are at a record high.

Much of the Taliban's funding comes from opium poppies and the illegal drug trade. The value of opium has doubled to more than $3bn in one year.

The US has pumped more than $700bn into Afghanistan since the beginning of the war - a report suggests the US does not even know how the money is being spent.

So what's the White House strategy now?

Presenter: Martine Dennis

Guests:

Haroun Mir - Cofounder of Afghanistan's Centre for Research and Policy Studies.

David Sedney - Former deputy US assistant secretary of defense for Afghanistan & Pakistan.

Omar Samad - Former senior adviser to the chief executive of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah.

Source: Al Jazeera