This is my answer to this Question from Quora.
The Taliban have a relationship with the history of Afghanistan and a vision for its people.
ISIS is made-up of a group of people from different countries who want to force their vision of an Islamic State into whatever space they can find.
As for ideology ISIS apply an out of context development of ‘key phrases’ selected from the Quran to situations in history and then take the people they want to support and die for them back to that time.
The Taliban live in 2017 and apply the teachings of the Quran to the people as a development of its mortality and principles.
U.S policy in Afghanistan is creating an alliance between the Taliban and ISIS which the Taliban do not want but are being forced into in order to fight the U.S. The Taliban have been fighting since 1979. They will never be defeated. How can you defeat a people who will die for their Country and all it means to them.
It is also why it is important that a new development and understanding of the ‘Word of God’ is developed to counter that of ISIS. However, this is lost on the likes of U.K Prime Minister Theresa May and MI5 who I believe do not understand how to defeat terrorism. Their solutions of increased force and security will not stop those who consider ISIS speaking on behalf of God from wanting to support and act for them.
I have tried to make that point to the United Kingdom Government and MI5 but they do not even reply with an acknowledgement – ignoring the obvious is short-sighted and dangerous.
ISIS and the Taliban are very different. But the U.S is bringing them together when it should be talking to the Taliban in order to assist division – after all China and Russia are. It is not Chinese or Russian troops who are being killed in Afghanistan it is American. It is time to move on.