Embedded with the Marines in Afghanistan: Can we defeat a resurgent Taliban?

America thought it had won the war in Afghanistan six years ago, but a recent escalation in violence and instability—including the death of nine U.S. soldiers this past weekend—has given rise to the question: Have we allowed the Taliban to come back?

Nora Bensahel, an expert specializing in military strategy in Afghanistan, explains how the Taliban has been able to regain power in Afghanistan in a NOW web-exclusive.

The military operations in the fall of 2001 led to the fall of the Taliban regime, but many members of the Taliban and Al Qaeda fled into remote parts of Afghanistan and in some cases into Pakistan. U.S. military operations to track and capture these individuals have been hampered by the very difficult mountainous terrain and especially by the lack of reliable intelligence on their whereabouts. Also, the pace of reconstruction has been very slow. The Afghan government has not been able to extend its reach throughout the country, and remains plagued by capacity problems. The insurgents have taken advantage of this void, especially by threatening violence against populations in the south.

Read the full interview here.

More on Afghanistan: The Forgotten War, and watch the full program online after July 18.