I'm going to give my input on this. My cousin married an Afghan who was born and raised here in Canada, but his mom and dad were born and raised in Afghanistan as were his grand parents and they have told me many stories. They were there when the Russians were there, when it was "secular" , when there was Taliban influence and then American influence. He's a good dude, he's Muslim, duh, but he's not by the book Muslim, still adheres to some religious principles from Islam as such but he and his family are not strict at all.
Afghanistan
First off, it's always been a very tribal land. Different tribes would fight other tribes and others would band with other tribes through creating treaties and so forth. They are a very resilient people as you know and will fight foreigners who try to invade tooth and nail. The Taliban were propped up by the U.S to begin with to deal with Soviet influence, sure, but after that was said and done, the Taliban came into play.
Every Afghan that I have talked too (extended family and friends) absolutely detests the Taliban. These are Muslims themselves who lament the Taliban coming into power. They don't care about the fact they have to pray five times a day and so forth, but the issue with the Taliban is that power corrupts and they slowly start playing the "rules for thee not me" game.
I have no idea as to why many here that living under Taliban control is a paradise. Sure, they throw gays off buildings, and stone women that adulterer, but is that what your heart yearns for when it comes to a Utopian society? Everyone talks about killing gays and how they should be treated but I guarantee 99.9 percent of you on this forum would piss your pants if you were the one pulling the trigger or pushing a living being off a building for being gay.
God has the final decision, He has said what he has said about homosexuality and has made society pay the consequence (Sodom and Gamorra) but clearly humans forget quickly. Ban it, or banish those who practise it, let them live on their lives and they will take their judgment in full in the life to come.
The Taliban are no fools either, if you think it's going to be some Sharia Utopian society where Islam is followed to the T you're kidding yourself. The Bacha Bazi crap was happening under the Taliban and under U.S occupation, the Taliban was more strict about it, this is true, they didn't eradicate the practise both among their members and civilians who had weight in the geopolitical arena. Furthermore, the Taliban leadership will simply tag along with whoever pays them the most to exploit Afghanistan for their vast natural resources (Opium, Emeralds and other precious metals and raw materials), only one country comes into mind, China.
China
China has been making massive moves for decades now especially when it comes to financing. They give out loans in massive amounts and the principal and interest payments weigh heavy on the nation who takes the bait. China knows many of the countries they lend money to will not be able to repay them back, so they have collateral in place, things such as fields for crops, mines, airports, ports and so forth. China uses the life blood of a nation as collateral in order to cement their control over the country and ensure the longevity and prosperity of their own.
China's biggest competitor in the region is India. China knows this, they have already bankrolled and enslaved Pakistan, Sri Lanka and they will soon have Afghanistan. China, in my opinion, will also take Nepal and will eventually do to Taiwan what they did to Hong Kong, slowly but surely. To add, I think they will also take Bangladesh as well.
India
Though relationships with China are cordial, they are not true. India knows China's plan and true intentions but are slow to the game. India should have normalized relations with Pakistan before China did, this is a a big plunder and religion/culture was their main obstacle. India, through their RAW wing, funds Afghanistan in order to fight against the Taliban which are funded, supported and trained by Pakistan's ISI. India and Afghanistan have always been cool with one another. Fun fact, most Afghanis detest Pakistani's and lament their children marrying into Pakistani families, regardless of the fact they are Muslim.
Pakistan
Friends with the Taliban and support them in every corner. Pakistan is where most of the Taliban chill when running away from Afghanistan, in the region of Gilgit and Balistan and Kyhber Pakhtunkwa since it is very mountainous. ISI for a fact trains the Taliban and supports them with their endeavours, it's their proxy arm, hence why Trump had no issue cancelling the $300 million that goes to Pakistan from the U.S. Now with the U.S out of Afghanistan, Pakistan has released the flood gates of Taliban fighters into the nation. Pakistan won't do anything because they are China's lap dog and China needs the region. China knows controlling tribal based low I.Q individuals is a walk in the park, give them women, kids, booze, weapons and jewellery.
The end game. I bet life under the Taliban is probably better than life with hard covid lockdown.
Sure, as a Muslim. Go live under them as a Christian, Jew, Buddhist, Hindu or Sikh, if you obtain Dhimmi status consider yourself somewhat lucky. Then pay your taxes and sit their quietly as your son is taken away and converted into Islam and serve in their militia if they so choose. Also, you can sit their quietly as they take your daughter and or wife and do whatever they want with them since you are non Muslims and are to be treated as second class citizens. After they marry your daughter off to a Muslim, she will be a baby machine adding to the name of Islam and you will never see her again.
Covid lock downs are stupid, but t least no one is coming to my door, telling me I'm a second class citizen because of my religion and then taking my mother and sister away from me.
Conclusion
All in all, we have to watch how this unfolds. Will the U.S re engage in this war proxy style? Or will they sit out completely? Has Afghanistan fallen into the hands of China for good in order to feed their silk road project and gain dominance in the Eastern hemisphere?
