US and Taliban signs deal for an American withdrawal

[Chicks]

The GOP quietly removed a webpage hailing Trump's peace deal with the Taliban as the militant group seized power in Afghanistan

https://www.businessinsider.com/gop-...an-deal-2021-8

Cancel Culture, anyone? So much for Donny's "historic" peace deal.

[donquixote99]

The title of Bright and Shining Lie refers to the bureaucracies' inability to face hard truths when it is in the immediate interest not to. That is a continuing problem for sure.

[barbara]

I think this is more complicated than Trump did this and Biden did that.....

We trained Afghan forces for twenty years and gave them what they needed to defend themselves and, it seems to me, they just gave up and surrendered without a fight.

I can't help but think the Afghans share some of the responsibility.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by barbara

I think this is more complicated than Trump did this and Biden did that.....

We trained Afghan forces for twenty years and gave them what they needed to defend themselves and, it seems to me, they just gave up and surrendered without a fight.

I can't help but think the Afghans share some of the responsibility.

Agreed. But here's what I've been thinking about this...

If we had withdrawn five years ago the outcome would have been the same. If we remained for another five years the outcome would be the same. Because...

We had three presidents with 20 years of opportunity to use all the enormous power of the US military to at least attempt to drive out/kill off the Taliban for good. And not one of them had the guts to deal with the bad press, the disillusioned electorate, the accusations of racism, and the fear of not being re-elected to take the necessary action and make it happen. So it was left to Joe Biden to have the guts to stand up in front of the cameras and say...whatever the outcome, we are done with this war.

Thank you, Joe.

[Oerets]

I can see where someone is being forced to complete a ""agreement"" made by others. Not wanting to or unable to try and make a better deal. The Afghanistan government was not even at the table for the treaty.

Biden was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

[Pio1980]

Borrowed from a pm:
A couple of more sober and realistic views...
https://www.realclearworld.com/arti....ul_790142.html
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/af...r-afghanistan/
https://cepa.org/afghanistans-end-po...er-u-s-future/
https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/ar...tan-assessment
https://www.thecipherbrief.com/artic...of-afghanistan

[Chicks]

david nussbaum @theNuzzy

“I started the process, all the troops are coming home, they (Biden) couldn’t stop the process. 21 years is enough. They (Biden) couldn’t stop the process, they (Biden) wanted to but couldn’t stop the process.”

- Trump, 1 month ago

https://mobile.twitter.com/theNuzzy/...51039404957697

4:34 PM · Aug 15, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

[Chicks]

[Oerets]

Today while watching the news coverage and listening to NPR the realization came to me.

There were close to 700,000 trained and equipped to fight for themselves. Watching the coverage and seeing the crowds of men rushing to leave. What if they all were armed and fighting?

Sorry sometimes you require self help. This is one here.

As to the people who were working for the USA. What is the odds we were told they would be OK? That their army was going to be able to hold off the taliban.....

We choose to believe them that was a mistake.

Now the country will be looking for funding. They will be making deals with our adversaries on the equipment left behind.......

What a mess to look forward to.

[Dondilion]

Originally Posted by Oerets

Today while watching the news coverage and listening to NPR the realization came to me.

There were close to 700,000 trained and equipped to fight for themselves. Watching the coverage and seeing the crowds of men rushing to leave. What if they all were armed and fighting?

Sorry sometimes you require self help. This is one here.

As to the people who were working for the USA. What is the odds we were told they would be OK? That their army was going to be able to hold off the taliban.....

We choose to believe them that was a mistake.

Now the country will be looking for funding. They will be making deals with our adversaries on the equipment left behind.......

What a mess to look forward to.

The Taliban is the continuation of the people the US armed to fight the Soviets. They have the conviction to endure suffering for what is essentially religious purity.
It appears to me that the 700,000 are a more secular crowd with aspirations for more worldly comforts. They notice that their leaders have outs, options to the west...they simply would like that too.