What kind of dummy would be surprised at the resolve of the Taliban?
Fanatics always have tons of resolve.
The best analogy to the current war, in my opinion, is the bloody, island by island drive across the Pacific by US Marines in WWII against an equally fanatical Japanese Army. This enemy was so insanely driven they refused to surrender, even when cornered in caves and told they would be flamed alive (and they indeed were, with no hesitation, by the Marines)