Reactions to Taliban's Victory

The Taliban's lightning victory in Afghanistan is being celebrated by radical extremist organizations such as al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, and other Sunni extremist groups in the region. They interpret the Taliban's takeover as a lesson that America will ultimately leave and Islam will prevail. This narrative has been perpetuated by Iran, Iraqi groups like Hashd al-Shaabi, and even the Taliban itself. The catastrophe unfolding in Afghanistan has been in the making for 20 years, stemming from the decision to shift assets to prepare for the Iraq war before finishing the job in Afghanistan.