The smart people won Afghanistan

Obviously the smart people in Afghanistan are the Talibs. It's in their name. If a true IQ meritocracy is what you seek, go thither et circumspice.

We can agree that it's a disgrace to America. We can further agree Milley's sub-Soviet mismanagement of information is a demotion-worthy performance. As to Afghanistan, sure, the Taliban were not elected to their present position. If you are on the Right, you might consider trusting Anatoly Karlin who crunches the numbers.

Where I am going to dissent is whether I should care.

I point out, there are worse things than undemocratic Islam. From a cold Darwin perspective, Islamic law is superior to the Rainbow Flag (seen flying proud this last June, including over Kabul). The Taliban state will tempt your child to the Hagarûthé; the Rainbow Flag wants him gay. The former stands a chance to spawn grandchildren for you... the latter, not so much. This calculus holds true everywhere, to the extent if you have democratically-elected the Rainbow, you no longer deserve a democracy. You have left to others' decision the fate of your neighbours' posterity.

Biden did right to get out. I'll point Right readers to Ann Coulter less because I trust her, more because I can't be bothered to explain the obvious.

A number of disingenuous "ex" neocons, and even isolation-leaning blogs which should know better, are performatively complaining that Afghanistan wasn't gotten out of, "properly". But... suppose America had no choice, between staying there forever and what you're seeing now. Suppose we already had two Administrations both keen to get out, and both hampered by fat generals murmuring "just six more months". The Obama bumperstickers and the Trump bumperstickers (and the Hillary bumperstickers in between) all had our shot. We blew it; blame ourselves, and thank Biden.

So yes: right now in Khurasan, tyranny and repression - as the previous Afghanistan elites deserve, although their subjects don't. The populace may take comfort that in the not-so-longer run this state of affairs will not hold. They're losing the Panjshir already; "Nuristan" (Kafiristan from The Man Who Would Be King) and the Hazara lands to follow.