Re: What motivates Taliban?
Don’t mix up motivation with enablement. By definition terrorism implies inability to think and reason right.
Culture enables it - gun culture, abusing the Quran, scant regard for life
An ironical combination of hopelessness and expectations is what motivates them I think. Expectations of resurrecting some deluded image of past glory; and hopelessness about having nothing else in life resultant from a lifetime of avoiding building useful skills.
in their minds it is easier to die than to live as 3rd rate people in the new world. Tribal pride will dictate that. And if you’re gonna die, why not take a few along.
That is how I think they rationalize and live or die with themselves.