US and Taliban signs deal for an American withdrawal

[BlueStreak]

Since this deal was made, we are to believe the TALIBAN can be relied upon to fight religious extremism and the violence it inevitably spawns?

We really have become an Idiocracy......

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Since this deal was made, we are to believe the TALIBAN can be relied upon to fight religious extremism and the violence it inevitably spawns?

We really have become an Idiocracy......

Afghanistan up until a few days ago was sustained by billions in aid from the US and others. Huge economic shock happening now. Taliban has big incentive to try to put a decent face on things in the hopes that some governments and NGO may continue or resume financial support. But that of course conflicts with their core ideology. They will make gestures and try to move towards a kinder and gentler Islamist terror state. Or to fake it. Interesting times in Afghanistan.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

They felt trapped. They might end it by 'winning the war.' but that was believed impossible. Or they might end it by pulling out, but that was believed to carry too sharp a political cost. So policy became to carry on indefinitely, and lie to the public and each other about everything.

And I thought we might have learned our lesson about that sort of thing back in 1975. Silly me.

[donquixote99]

A couple of generations dimmed the institutional memory, and bureaucratic institutions are what they are anyway. And so a stupid Republican president got us into not one but two land wars in Asia.

[donquixote99]

A guy with experience on the ground, and insight, writes:

"What we are seeing in Afghanistan right now shouldn’t shock you. It only seems that way because our institutions are steeped in systematic dishonesty. It doesn’t require a dissertation to explain what you’re seeing. Just two sentences.

One: For 20 years, politicians, elites and D.C. military leaders lied to us about Afghanistan.

Two: What happened last week was inevitable, and anyone saying differently is still lying to you.
...
The lies about Afghanistan matter not just because of the money spent or the lives lost, but because they are representative of a systematic dishonesty that is destroying our country from the inside out...." https://www.yahoo.com/news/served-af...100000389.html

I am fairly convinced we need a Great Awakening, a moral reform movement to wipe out dishonesty, completely. Being caught in ONE lie should make you unelectable, anywhere!

Follow the link, read the rest. This guy says it right.

[Dondilion]

Afghanistan: sophisticated money laundering.
Biden had guts to pull the plug on this massive transfer of wealth from the public to the well connected.

[bobabode]

"In a speech Thursday in which he said the United States would punish the Islamic State for a deadly attack on American service members and Afghans in Kabul, President Biden said he would send additional troops to aid Americans in Afghanistan if his military advisers ask — though he said that has not been requested.

The Islamic State attack at the Kabul airport, which included two suicide bombings, killed 12 U.S. troops and wounded 15.

“We will hunt you down and make you pay,” Biden said in the White House speech Thursday evening, calling those military members who died “heroes who’ve been engaged in a dangerous, selfless mission to save the lives of others.”" WP

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...-live-updates/

[Oerets]

What a mess Biden was faced with.

Has he any good options?

Could he had done a better job?

Probably not.

No matter who was in charge or when it occurred the withdrawal was destined to fail miserably. The apparently clear fact is simply there would never have been a Afghan army to protect the USA. Was it wishful thinking, misguided by overzealous generals and advisors?


President Biden will be blamed for the way it ended with little to none going to the real architects of this disaster.
This will never be known.

[Pio1980]

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinio...mp-ncna1277755

[Oerets]

KABOOM!

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/2...n-afghanistan/


""ISIS-K Planner Hit in US Drone Strike in Eastern Afghanistan""

""US military forces conducted an over-the-horizon counter terrorism operation today against an ISIS-K planner. The unmanned airstrike occurred in the Nangahar Province of Afghanistan", Urban stated. "We know of no civilian casualties.""

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...mil1jq_Uhno7NE

BYE BYE!