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I don't know the accuracy of the sources, but Wikipedia has the Taliban has almost doubling in size since 2001: 45,000 (2001 est.) 11,000 (2008 est.) 36,000
by rascul 5y ago
I don't know the accuracy of the sources, but Wikipedia has the Taliban has almost doubling in size since 2001:
45,000 (2001 est.)
11,000 (2008 est.)
36,000 (2010 est.)
60,000 (2014 est.)
85,000 (2021 est.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban
- iammisc 5y agoThis confirms my theory above that the most important resource is people, which the united states handed to the Taliban in droves by occupying the country for the last twenty years. The look of a Christian country occupying a Muslim one is an easy catalyst that the Taliban can use to radicalise even the most moderate Muslim, especially when the US was happy to bomb anything and anyone. This was not difficult to see for anyone with a sound understanding of Muslim Christian relations and Islam in general. The US was always going to lose the moment we engaged in pro-longed occupation.
- dragontamer 5y agoLooks like its only been increasing in size since 2008, which is roughly when ISIL / Arab Spring was all getting stronger. Obama was put into a situation where he needed to "surge" to counteract the rise of the Taliban. I'm not convinced that giving up in 2008 to 2010 was the best plan.