Is the Taliban a Monolith?

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Matt Welch: There are some things the Taliban have done that have provoked a response from the US. He says if Afghanistan again becomes a threat to the world, like it did in the 90s, then the world will intervene. Welch: The reason why the Taliban should allow girls to go back to school is not because that's how they're going to get money from the West. But right now it's the hardliners who have the power in Kandahar.

One year ago this week, when the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan, they promised to institute a modern form of Islamic government that honored women’s rights.

That promise evaporated with a sudden decision to prohibit girls from going to high school, prompting questions about which part of the Taliban is really running the country.

Guest: Matthieu Aikins, a writer based in Afghanistan for The New York Times and the author of “The Naked Don’t Fear the Water: An Underground Journey with Afghan Refugees.”

Background reading:

After barring girls from high school — and harboring a leader of Al Qaeda — the Taliban risks jeopardizing the billions of dollars of global aid that keeps Afghans alive.

For more information on today’s episode, visit

nytimes.com/thedaily

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