If anyone is interested in getting an idea for how regular Afghans think about their country, policies, etc, this report from 2019 gives a pretty good view. The

If anyone is interested in getting an idea for how regular Afghans think about their country, policies, etc, this report from 2019 gives a pretty good view. The 2020 report isn't too great since the pandemic. But there is a report for every year going back to like 2005 or so, so you can see how attitudes changed over time: https://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019_Afghan_Survey_Full-Report.pdf https://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019_A... In essence, a vast majority of afghans polled believe in women's rights to vote and to work. The Taliban is not popular at all with a vast majority believing they deserve no sympathy. However, many do think peace is possible. One of the biggest issues the Afghans appear to have is a vast majority believe their own armed forces are badly corrupt. Afghanistan is by no means a liberal place and is extremely religiously conservative in many ways, but the general public has no taste for Taliban style rule. This is a truly sad disaster unfolding and I only hope a peace deal is brokered somehow. But with so little resistance, you almost have to wonder if the Taliban would want that now? The only hope I can see is that 65% of the population is under 18 and want educational and career opportunities and I wonder if they'd be willing to rise up if the Taliban does in fact revert to their policies pre-9/11.