1. We have a broad look in @nytimes at two decades of the Taliban — the ways they managed to sustain a campaign of ruthless violence to outlast a military superpower through heavy casualties.

Some thoughts on our reporting in this thread:

nytimes.com/2020/05/26/wor… 2. For years, we followed the Taliban largely from a distance. We kept contacts, but didn’t risk an embed in recent years mostly because of airstrikes — more than 7,400 U.S. bombs dropped last year, plus those of the Afghan army. Risk of wrong place, wrong time.

In 12 hours since “violence reduction” went into effect, Afghan defense minister Khalid reports just a few Taliban attacks across country. Says they are studying closelly whether that was break of communication down to lower units, or intentional breach. Giving benifit of doubt 2. Taliban regional & provincial commanders across country have been passing clear messages down to their units; so far no question at all on their efforts or intention to not fully abide. Today as well Taliban commanders have been busy on their radios, alert coms down to units.

1. In the chance the 2 sergeants end up America's last casualties in Afghanistan, the way they were killed - by an Afghan whose uniform, salary & M249 light machine gun were paid for by the US - paints a bleak arc of how the "good war" went off the rails

nytimes.com/2020/02/17/wor… 2. On the day Trump gave a green light to Taliban deal his negotiators had finalized, he went to Dover to receive the remains of Staff Sgt. Gutierrez & Staff Sgt. Rodriguez, both 28, killed in Nangarhar.

We pieced it together, from Shirzad to Batikot to Dover.

@katierogers

40 years ago, they were three young Afghan scholarship students abroad.

In a twist of history, Ghani, Khalilzad, and Stanekzai now find
themselves at the center of an endgame - one represents 🇦🇫, one the 🇺🇸, and one the Taliban.

Our @nytimes story:

nytimes.com/2019/02/16/wor… ...Mr. Ghani and Mr. Khalilzad (L and R), now the Afghan president & the U.S. envoy, were completing degrees...in Beirut, a vibrant intellectual hub..during a turbulent time in the Middle East.
They enjoyed the Mediterranean beaches, went to dances & met their future wives

A teenage shooter, two bursts of AK-47 rounds, & cases of pomegranates:
we trace chaotic moments of Gen. Raziq's assassination at the U.S. commander's side - & consequences that'll take the American military a good while to overcome.

@Tmgneff @Taimoornyt nytimes.com/2018/11/02/wor… 2. Like any assassination, lots of "what ifs" around Raziq too. The meeting at the governor's palace was his first big one in a longtime. He had been traveling (UAE etc), and when he returned he'd fallen ill with stomach problem & bed-ridden for days.