Afghanistan collapsed because corruption had hollowed out the state 

The Taliban victory is the product of the corruption and cronyism of elites — especially senior US military personnel and Afghan politicians

Taliban members patrol the streets of Jalalabad city in Afghanistan on August 17 as the Taliban took control of the country after president Ashraf Ghani fled the country. Picture: Getty Images

When the Taliban swept into Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, the militant group faced almost no resistance. 

The country’s now former president, Ashraf Ghani, fled to the United Arab Emirates, accused by one of his own ambassadors of stealing $169m (€143m) on his way out — and the Afghan military melted away without a fight.