Re: What are the odds of humans becoming extinct?
I should add that geographic isolation could also help protect the Taliban from military incursions. By destroying their transportation infrastracture we defeat ourselves.
This fact is reflected by an Allied defeat during WWII. We had the chance to roll our tanks right into Berlin using the Autobaun (constructed by Hitler). We were stopped by a shortage of gasoline, and the opportunity was lost. Fortunately we won the war, but unfortunately it cost a lot of lives.