The Taliban is finding it difficult to establish in Kabul the nonrepressive order that it says it stands for.

We Americans are aware that right-wing enemies of our government are often responsible for provoking violence to blame on the government and/or the left. Nonetheless, the state has the responsibility to maintain order while respecting freedom, even if that is difficult. It is the same for the Taliban.

The Taliban have said they will do so.

Since they took power in Kabul only one week ago, we need to give them time. If they reject fanatic violence, they need to make this rejection effective and visible.

This includes the responsibility to demonstrate that the people searching for journalists to kill are lawbreakers, and to protect the journalists from them.

Perhaps the US should give the Taliban lots of police uniforms and badges, so that people can distinguish between them and unaffiliated terrorists.