But how feasible is the Taliban’s proposed national uprising, a coordinated armed revolt across Afghanistan against Pakistan, including attacks on Pakistani territory? For the majority of the country, the Taliban’s call for a national uprising is likely to be ignored or actively resisted. Consequently, the classic model of a national uprising against foreign invaders is not applicable. Returning to the central question: would the Taliban’s national uprising achieve deterrence against foreign aggression? The proposed national uprising cannot compensate for this fundamental imbalance of power.

Source: New York Times February 28, 2026 12:00 UTC