Afghanistan

[tvstrip]

Finis! Let the next phase begin. I hope we are ready. (Hope is rarely a good strategy.)
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/...-out-of-afghanistan-ends-americas-longest-war

I was always wondering how they were going to take off the last flight with no one to protect them as they took off. Especially seeing the civilians flood the tarmac.
But it looked eerily calm, and the article makes it sound like the US actually negotiated with the taliban to ensure their security as they left.

Well, if one thing is for sure, we're going to find out really soon if taliban 2.0 is any different from the previous version.

 

[VillellaMcMeans]

I was always wondering how they were going to take off the last flight with no one to protect them as they took off. Especially seeing the civilians flood the tarmac.
But it looked eerily calm, and the article makes it sound like the US actually negotiated with the taliban to ensure their security as they left.

Well, if one thing is for sure, we're going to find out really soon if taliban 2.0 is any different from the previous version.

I think the threat is less from the Taliban and more from other terrorists that were not given the seat of government on a silver platter - the Taliban have no reason to attach america because america is leaving the battlefield.

If any aircraft were hit it could give excuse for america to stay instead of leave, and the Taliban doesn't want that - however whoever responsible for the suicide bomb might have done it to try and force america to stay, as well as other more obvious reasons such as undermining the current Taliban government, but we'll probably never know truth.

 

[tvstrip]

Taliban militants 'execute eight-month pregnant police officer in front of her husband and children' | Daily Mail Online

Well, that new "taliban 2.0" image lasted as long as we expected...

 

[VillellaMcMeans]

Taliban militants 'execute eight-month pregnant police officer in front of her husband and children' | Daily Mail Online

Well, that new "taliban 2.0" image lasted as long as we expected...

Yeah...sad thing is that not enough Afghans were willing to fight against theses things, and if not enough Afghans are willing to fight - other countries won't help them fight anymore either.

 

[mikexmoran]

Perhaps there is some weird form of penance going on in Washington D.C. and there was a decision made to just not to defend.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taliba...als-say/?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email

 

[gmase]

Taliban militants 'execute eight-month pregnant police officer in front of her husband and children' | Daily Mail Online

Well, that new "taliban 2.0" image lasted as long as we expected...

I hate to say it, but we don’t need to look much further than Florida to see evidence of similar senseless violence. A veteran of these wars who used meth, killed a number of innocent people.

Now that we are not dumping cash in Afghanistan, we can divert it to help the veterans.

 

[tvstrip]

Yeah...sad thing is that not enough Afghans were willing to fight against theses things, and if not enough Afghans are willing to fight - other countries won't help them fight anymore either.

Sad, but true. The only reason the US was there was for revenge (neither the US, nor any other country lifted a finger when the taliban were destroying heritage sites, oppressing women etc), so unless they harbor jihadists who do something against the west again, no one is going to intervene. And the taliban know that, so they're going to be pretty cautious about letting AQ setup camp there, or do anything to provoke another invasion. So in a way, as bad as it sounds, I guess "mission accomplished"?

 

[Little Red Wagon Repairman]

so unless they harbor jihadists who do something against the west again, no one is going to intervene. And the taliban know that, so they're going to be pretty cautious about letting AQ setup camp there, or do anything to provoke another invasion.

Agreed. Harboring terrorists with international ambition is where The Taliban screwed up. They have their lessons to learn as well.

 

[mikexmoran]

Perhaps somebody said, "Afghanistan Bananastan"

 

[Mr. Daystar]

Perhaps somebody said, "Afghanistan Bananastan"

Or they got tired of hearing Russia say, "I told you so".

 

[mikexmoran]

Or they got tired of hearing Russia say, "I told you so".

...or the Brits.

...but they may be the record holders for getting thrown out of countries.

 

[tvstrip]

Well, they opened Kabul airport again, so at least that's a start.

 

[mikexmoran]

https://apnews.com/article/middle-e...ts-islamabad-d50b1b490d27d32eb20cc11b77c12c87

No shocker in that, but International recognition is not coming any time soon.

https://www.vox.com/22665508/taliban-afghanistan-prime-minister-supreme-leader-hassan-haibatullah

The person who’s the head of the central bank was the person who was running [the Taliban’s] finances. Running the finances of an insurgency group is obviously different than dealing with World Bank, IMF, and the system of finances of the world. But he’s the guy in charge. Does he know monetary policy? I highly doubt that. Does he know how to navigate the international economic structure that exists? Obviously not…

Competence really doesn't seem to be their focus.

Basically the Taliban is still the Taliban, per the State Department.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...s-concerned-the-taliban-are-still-the-taliban

Makes me wonder if a good policy is to keep track of these guys. If they participate or support in terrorism, see if you can somehow just take them out specifically. May or may not make the next set thing about it. Would probably garner some international rebuke, but is that worse than 20 years of war? Not sure if it is just an academic question or if it is even in the realm of possibility.

Nation building or the pretense of it, I think we learned is not the answer.

 

[Theopolis Q. Hossenffer]

As with many religious groups I expect their watchword will be "It's in Allah's hands"

 

[tvstrip]

Makes me wonder if a good policy is to keep track of these guys. If they participate or support in terrorism, see if you can somehow just take them out specifically. May or may not make the next set thing about it. Would probably garner some international rebuke, but is that worse than 20 years of war? Not sure if it is just an academic question or if it is even in the realm of possibility.

You mean, do periodic drone strikes on their generals/leadership? Now they are the legit leadership, that would fall under political assassination, which IIRC the US doesn't partake in (wink wink).

Imagine if an Arabic government killed a US official on American soil. What's sad is that these aren't considered equal.

 

[mikexmoran]

You mean, do periodic drone strikes on their generals/leadership? Now they are the legit leadership, that would fall under political assassination, which IIRC the US doesn't partake in (wink wink).

Imagine if an Arabic government killed a US official on American soil. What's sad is that these aren't considered equal.

Not exactly, but if the US can't keep tabs on their leadership when they are in country, what are the odds of doing so when out of country.

Good point on things not being equal. That is the way things are. On one hand, I agree with you, but "we" make a judgement that the Taliban is not legitimate in our eyes (for whatever reason...lets say human rights), so that allows "us" to live with those decisions.

That is not that uncommon. You play by a standard and if you don't there is not equivalence. I'm neither supporting or arguing for it. I think you make a very astute point.
When I draw a comparison between US Administrations, the typical response I get is "you're making a false equivolence". I get it and I've learned to let it lie most of the time because there is a judgement made often that you're not going to be able to quantify.

 

[assari]

Almost a billion of Finnish taxpayers' money was used for Afghanistan.


What was the end result?

Answer:

More Afghan men came to Finland to seek asylum

 

[mikexmoran]

Almost a billion of Finnish taxpayers' money was used for Afghanistan.


What was the end result?

Answer:

More Afghan men came to Finland to seek asylum

Good comment.

I was there once, so I don't blame them for going

 

[gmase]

Almost a billion of Finnish taxpayers' money was used for Afghanistan.


What was the end result?

Answer:

More Afghan men came to Finland to seek asylum

You should be happy. You don’t like the Taliban. They are fleeing the Taliban because they do not like the group. These are new friends for you.

Imagine how many you would gotten if you paid over $2 trillion?

 

[assari]

You should be happy. You don’t like the Taliban. They are fleeing the Taliban because they do not like the group. These are new friends for you.

They are all the same group.

In other words, they are all Muslims