“But the fact is that the Taliban stands for old-school Pashtun tradition more than for Islam.
“And the Taliban is divided even further, with complicated loyalties to local warlords and tribal chiefs.”

Now the above is about the only part of that war nerd piece that I find reliable. So-o-o it is what makes the Wahabi traditions seem more like that good old time religion to them. But self enforced poverty is a damnable offense to folks who see others getting more and retaining their dignity. Then of course there is the religious police and stoning to death stuff that just irritates the local farmer who is tired of being poor and in many cases (not all) given the option would give up the old ways for a steady and more reliable life style.

In fact they’d have to be stupid not to, and those guys are on no way stupid. Thus I think that once again it comes down to a minority of thugs bullying the locals in order to get their way.

Claiming the attacking force was all local Afghanis is not a reasonable claim without support. Nor can I accept it as accurate. There are to many flaws in the narrative and too much caricature of locals that is not only unreasonable, it is just wrong. I would Ask the BTDTs before accepting such an excuse for journalism.