America enabled Afghanistan’s corruption for years. The Taliban knew it.

The sudden collapse of the government in Afghanistan, as well as the tragic images of Afghans trying to flee the surging Taliban, has politicians and the U.S. commentariat scrambling for answers. Some have blamed the administration for a botched evacuation. Others have blamed presidents current and past, either for making ham-fisted deals or for ignoring the lessons of previous American occupations.

The Taliban’s swift conquest is attributable to many factors. But one that crosses multiple administrations yet is getting very little attention right now is corruption. Specifically, the kind of corruption the U.S. aided and abetted over many years, glad-handing crooked officials and stalling anti-corruption investigations, as ordinary Afghans struggled and watched officials grow…