US planning to evacuate Afghan interpreters, contractors ahead of withdrawal

[acidhead]

 

[+and-then]

On 7/4/2021 at 10:11 PM, Earl.Of.Trumps said:

Good up, ML.

Just as an aside, as the US pulls out, China is about to move in under their "Belts and Roads" economic rebuilding program. Just saw that in news.

Yeah, the CCP has announced they'll be the first to "recognize" a Taliban "government".  The Afghans have a lot of rare earth minerals I think, but beyond that I can't imagine those tribal fundamentalist Muslims cozying up to ardent atheists that are currently using concentration camps on other Muslims.  Who knows... 

[+and-then]

Just saw this, no idea if it's confirmed yet:

 

[Earl.Of.Trumps]

32 minutes ago, and then said:

... I can't imagine those tribal fundamentalist Muslims cozying up to ardent atheists that are currently using concentration camps on other Muslims.  Who knows... 

Strange bedfellows, for sure. "The color of money", it works

[Jon the frog]

On 7/2/2021 at 2:35 PM, Earl.Of.Trumps said:

What is "winning" in the minds of the public when we were never really told why were there fighting in the first place?

How many Americans can honestly say what Bush's stated reason as to why the US was going on to Afghanistan, oh so long ago? 
What a farce. 

It was for the Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline pipeline, it's done now and the Taliban vowed to protect it in Feb. 6, 2021... so it's time to leave, things are done and are great for the US.

[acidhead]

 

[acidhead]

 

[DarkHunter]

Hearing reports that the Taliban are now entering Kabul, not really hearing any reports of any resistance.  There are a few reports of gun fire being heard but its unclear who is shooting and what or who they are shooting at.

[+DieChecker]

On 8/13/2021 at 10:55 PM, and then said:

The only exception I'd point out is the fact that the CCP could arm, train, and direct them as a proxy force to use against the west.

The guys WE trained didn't do so well.

I'd image China woukd get the same level of results. You can't force people to be responsible and dedicated. They either are, or they are not. 

[+DieChecker]

10 hours ago, and then said:

IF the Taliban are stupid enough to overrun Kabul and kill or take Americans hostage then my guess is we'd recommit in a major way and the whole damned nightmare would commence anew.    

That might be the entire reason Biden has done what he has. After all, he's mostly held up by those marionette strings, and his bankrollers might need more sales.

I dont think its generals that are corrupt. But those directing the generals. 

[acidhead]

 

[acidhead]

 

[acidhead]

Somebody tell her the Taliban is the government there now 

Sheesh... My god 

 

 

[TigerBright19]

The 20th Anniversary of 9/11 is coming up soon and yet we are still fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.  If we told our younger 2001 selves this, they would never believe us.

 

[acidhead]

 

[Silver]

China and Russia prepare to accept Taliban rule of Afghanistan: Beijing officials pose with leaders of militants and Kremlin has 'no plans' to evacuate its embassy due to 'good relations'

China, Russia, Pakistan and Turkey all appear set to formally recognise Taliban rule in neighbouring Afghanistan after the Islamist terror group seized the Presidential Palace in Kabul on Sunday and the country's embattled president fled for Tajikistan.

Most global powers are reluctant to recognise the rule of the militant group overthrown by US-led coalition forces in 2001, with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warning that Afghanistan cannot be allowed to become a 'breeding ground for terror' again. 

But Beijing and Islamabad could break rank in order to form closer ties with the likely new government, with Chinese state media preparing its people to accept the likely scenario that the ruling Communist Party might have to recognise the Islamist group.  

China and Russia prepare to accept Taliban rule of Afghanistan | Daily Mail Online

Edited August 15, 2021 by The Silver Shroud

[Silver]

$88 billion spent on defence, and the Taliban militia just walked into Kabul. Afghanistan is in Asia, its religion is Islam and its law is Sharia. The West is always going to be fighting a different war.

The Taliban have 80,000 troops in comparison with a nominal 300,699 serving the Afghan government, yet the whole country has been effectively overrun in a matter of weeks as military commanders surrendered without a fight in a matter of hours.

It is a tale of two armies, one poorly equipped but highly motivated ideologically, and the other nominally well-equipped, but dependent on Nato support, poorly led and riddled with corruption.

The US aid spending watchdog for Afghanistan warned last month that the US military had little or no means of knowing the capability of the Afghan National Defense and Security forces (ANDSF) when required to operate independently of the US forces, despite spending $88.3bn (£64bn) on security-related reconstruction in Afghanistan up to March 2021.

A tale of two armies: why Afghan forces proved no match for the Taliban | Afghanistan | The Guardian

Edited August 15, 2021 by The Silver Shroud

[acidhead]

DAYS?!?!?!?!? 

my god

 

[+and-then]

13 hours ago, DieChecker said:

You can't force people to be responsible and dedicated.

That was the problem from the beginning.  It's their culture to see outsiders as invaders and they've learned over centuries to make the best of the situation and to rise up and kick them out when the opportunity presents itself.  I feel badly for the women and children who were given a glimpse of what freedom looks like and then had it snatched away.  IIRC, music and cutting of one's hair were verboten in 2001 so musicians and barbers are out of work again, IF they even survive the inevitable purge  

[+and-then]

1 hour ago, acidhead said:

DAYS?!?!?!?!? 

I think we are witnessing what it looks like when a very complex governmental system of power is being divided up into areas of authority with no clear leader at the top.  Things would naturally take more time and confusion would cause mistakes.  When I say that America has its first Politburo, I'm not joking.  I honestly believe that our executive branch is being run by committee and I'll go to my grave believing Obama is the deciding vote.

The worst aspect of this is the loss of confidence in military decision making.  There is NO WAY our mid-grade commissioned officers on the ground there could not see this coming and to think they wouldn't report that concern up the chain is ridiculous.  No... what we are seeing isn't incompetence from our troops, it's either a politicized Pentagon failing to act decisively or it's a strategy going to plan.  If it's the latter, the MIC is so firmly in control now that our military has become a mercenary force and a cash cow.

[Earl.Of.Trumps]

20 hours ago, Jon the frog said:

It was for the Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline pipeline, it's done now and the Taliban vowed to protect it in Feb. 6, 2021... so it's time to leave, things are done and are great for the US.

sorry ,man, that is not what I asked. I asked specifically, what was Bush's stated reason for going into Afghanistan.

[F3SS]

Whether or not 300k US trained Afghan military soldiers were capable of holding off the Taliban seems a moot point. It's clear that they either side with the Taliban or simply see nothing to fight for. No sense of country, pride or a future worth fighting for. Clearly they were there for a paycheck. This outcome had to be known. Why would we leave them all of these weapons and vehicles? 

[acidhead]

30 minutes ago, F3SS said:

Whether or not 300k US trained Afghan military soldiers were capable of holding off the Taliban seems a moot point. It's clear that they either side with the Taliban or simply see nothing to fight for. No sense of country, pride or a future worth fighting for. Clearly they were there for a paycheck. This outcome had to be known. Why would we leave them all of these weapons and vehicles? 

MIC 

[F3SS]

14 minutes ago, acidhead said:

MIC 

I was guessing as much just can't figure out the angle. Think just to drag us back in?

[acidhead]

25 minutes ago, F3SS said:

I was guessing as much just can't figure out the angle. Think just to drag us back in?

$