house correspondent, phil mattingly, and cnn senior international security editor, nick paton walsh. let me start with you. 17 capitals now, at least 17, this is happening remarkably fast. >> in a week. and if you cast your mind back, victor, to literally how the last 20 years have often been about stalemates over a village in the middle of nowhere, an intense amount of u.s. military power, the speed of this reversal is utterly staggering, faster frankly than when the u.s. swept in, in 2001. the second and third largest cities in taliban's hands. kandahar fell overnight. it feels like a couple of days ago now, remarkable that they have that hugely symbolic birthplace of their movement now in their hands. the question, what of kabul next? yes, there's mazari in the north, possibly the east, but it's very clear they have their target set on kabul, but do they want a lengthy and bitter street fight for a city of 6 million to