The reality is that the Taliban now form the Govt of Afghanistan
I fear that is far from the truth. They may have deposed the previous government but are far from capable, let alone able to afford, to form a government.
The entire civil service is AWOL fearing for their lives. There is no money, and no one technically qualified, to run any ministry, maintain any utilities or organise and distribute food, water or other essentials across the country.
The weekly flights from the USA of, literally, pallets of dollar bills to keep the country running have stopped, as have all inbound remittances from the Afghan diaspora as companies such as Western Union have **** down in country. Most aid agency staff have evacuated.
it is being suggested that countries such as Pakistan, Iran, Russia and China may step up to the plate to replete Western donors. Don’t hold your breath. The first two are bankrupt and don’t have the cash. Russia has an economy the same size as Spain.
That leaves China, and China doesn’t do grants - it does loans where the terms are harshly enforced - as many Asian and African countries and now learning t9 their cost as the Chinese take over ports, airports and railways.
Unfortunately Afghanistan might have raw ore, but it doesn’t have the infrastructure to support their extraction - be that any of the above or even an electricity grid.
It will be amusing to see if China lends even more* billions attempts to build the above and then get their money back. Russia and America will watch with interest.
Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame in me….
*
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/20...in-afghanistan