Huh:
The Taliban vowed to create "a graveyard for the American Empire" with "lofty spirits" after President Trump didn't heed their lobbying for a withdrawal from Afghanistan.
I expect tough talk from them. But they had tough talk when our forces withdrew from combat and left the fighting to our allied Afghan allies. The Taliban said that they'd smash the Afghan security forces without our forces in the battle.
The Taliban have made worrisome progress. But they did not smash the government forces. And now that window is closing as more American and coalition support will flow to the Afghan security forces and more effort will be made to choke off Pakistani support for the jihadis.
Our new approach is at least realistic.
So let's hold off on discussing their lofty spirits until next year at this time.
