WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Taliban takeover of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan this week dealt a stinging blow to the country’s security forces, in some ways mirroring an offensive in the Iraqi city of Mosul last year.

In both cases, Western-backed security forces boosted with billions of dollars in training and equipment crumbled in the face of sudden assaults from a smaller contingent, leaving observers wondering if the expense and effort was worth it.