From the article: > The Afghan forces were trained by the Americans using the U.S. military model based on highly technical special reconnaissance units, helic

From the article: > The Afghan forces were trained by the Americans using the U.S. military model based on highly technical special reconnaissance units, helicopters and airstrikes. We lost our superiority to the Taliban when our air support dried up and our ammunition ran out. > Contractors maintained our bombers and our attack and transport aircraft throughout the war. By July, most of the 17,000 support contractors had left. A technical issue now meant that aircraft — a Black Hawk helicopter, a C-130 transport, a surveillance drone — would be grounded. > The contractors also took proprietary software and weapons systems with them. They physically removed our helicopter missile-defense system. Access to the software that we relied on to track our vehicles, weapons and personnel also disappeared. Real-time intelligence on targets went out the window, too. > The Taliban fought with snipers and improvised explosive devices while we lost aerial and laser-guided weapon capacity. And since we could not resupply bases without helicopter support, soldiers often lacked the necessary tools to fight. Under these conditions, what would you expect members of the Afghan army to do? You are correct that in some cases, surrenders were arranged due to family and tribal considerations. But anyone with a modest understanding of Afghan society and culture could have predicted this so it boggles the mind that the US, after 20 years, seemed utterly clueless about how Afghanistan works.