When the ‘Strongest Tribe’ Leaves

Understanding the Afghan military collapse.

Aug 17, 2021

Afghan soldiers stayed behind guarding their post on Wazir Akbar Khan Hill for one last night in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, August 15, 2021. (Photograph by Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images.)

What makes a man willing to stand and fight, even if fighting might mean his death? The answer is complex and varied, involving combinations and permutatio…

When the ‘Strongest Tribe’ Leaves

Understanding the Afghan military collapse.

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