I find it strange how originally the UK's task force to afganistan was ment to be a small "special forces" thing and now we've sent 1700 marines(how many US marines are there?), the taliban forces were supposed to be small groups of untrained underequiped fighters.

So why is it taking so long for us to confirm victory?

How are "small groups" able to defend themselfs against the entier might of the west, including navy, air force and now grunts on the ground?

They hide well. A part of the land is mountainous. It is difficult to tell that you have gotten everything and most must in the end be checked by walking the ground.

Even then it is not sure that all were gotten. Some have slipped over the neighboring borders and hope that they will have the chance to return after the UN forces have left. They will hole up in the mountains if there is anything that has been missed. They will slip back into the population to create harvoc with the newly established regime. The UN forces also wait for the new government to take hold, gather the reins of power, develop a military capable of protecting themselves, basically becoming established before they move on.

For a country 1700 is not a lot of manpower.