Afghanistan - The Taliban Won

Here's a rough guide to what is going on currently:

Official: the president and his tireless staff are working night and day to bring a satisfactory resolution to the conflict.

Translation: we're out of here just as soon as we find a safe haven somewhere not Afghanistan.

Official: we still have many regional capitals loyal to the administration. We supply them by air as the roads are blocked.

Translation: the only place the government has control is Kabul and that won't be for much longer. The president of Afghanistan is really just the mayor of Kabul and maybe then not all of it.

Official: we are retraining police

Translation: the police deserted their posts and ran away. When they ran out of money they gave themselves up so they can get paid again. As soon as they have enough money, they're running away yet again, except to another country altogether just like their bosses.

Official: the Taliban have taken some cities

Translation: the local administration simply raised a new flag and started taking calls from the Taliban who are all related anyway, their daughters are married to these blokes.

Official: this will all be over soon, we are meeting with the Taliban and these talks incorporate the UN and its agencies.

Translation: the Taliban are saying about time to surrender and they've just about run out of patience. Total capitulation of the Afghan government isn't far away.