Why? Explain your thinking.
It's terrible to say that any people or any nation is a hopeless cause. But whatever the US and our allies attempted in Afghanistan hasn't been a complete and lasting success. There have been some advances for women, especially in female education, which unfortunately has been become a deadly target of the Taliban. A female television anchor was assassinated last month in Kabul. Maybe someday there will be better times for the benighted people of Afghanistan, but it isn't now or in the near future.
More than 1,000 Afghan soldiers have fled to neighbouring Tajikistan after clashing with Taliban militants, officials have said.
The troops retreated over the border to "save their own lives", according to a statement by Tajikistan's border guard.
Violence has risen in Afghanistan and the Taliban have been making significant gains, particularly in the north of the country, in recent weeks.
The surge coincides with the end of Nato's 20-year military mission.
The vast majority of remaining foreign forces in Afghanistan have been withdrawn ahead of a September deadline. There are concerns that the Afghan military, who were supposed to take over security in the country, will collapse.
Under a deal with the Taliban, the US and its Nato allies agreed to withdraw all troops in return for a commitment by the militants not to allow any extremist group to operate in the areas they control.
But the Taliban did not agree to stop fighting Afghan forces, and now reportedly control about a third of the country.
