I'd disagree with that assessment. It seems that Kabul had pockets that were growing into secularism. The country as a whole was not. Qandahar never had the dip into secularism.

Too many Westerners (my apologies if you are not, I am, and I see this contention that you have brought forth from many of them) read things about 'Afghanistan' that are really about Kabul. It's similar to equating New York City to all of America.