Afghanistan

[Doublecluck]

I've deployed with the UN and have seen what they are "capable" of doing.

I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

Yea gotta lol at the idea of the UN doing anything, maybe read em a bedtime story or tell em to stand in the corner cause they are in time out for beheading someone. Gimme a break, these people are willing to die for their ideals, they just endured 20 years of not knowing when the next JDAM was going to ruin their day, now the UN is gonna do something? Fat chance.

If we were smart we would play the long game, sign up with China to go all in on green energy mineral contracts, copper, lithium, etc. let them do the dirty work..

Afghanistan's minerals to boost Taliban coffers – DW – 08/18/2021

To date, the Taliban have profited from the opium and heroin trade. Now the militant group effectively rules a country with valuable resources that China needs to grow its economy.

www.google.com

Then focus on education and innovation in our own country and develop energy sources that don’t require destroying the earth and keep our secrets and tell em to F off and leave em holding their hand.

 

[RobertD]

What I Learned While Eavesdropping on the Taliban

I spent 600 hours listening in on the people who now run Afghanistan. It wasn’t until the end of my tour that I understood what they were telling me.

www.theatlantic.com

Really interesting perspective

 

[CowboyLeroy]

I'm 27 years old. I'll be 28 on sep. 22. Point being that almost my entire life we have been involved in military action in the middle east. Gulf War, Iraqi freedom desert storm, desert shield, taliban, AL quieda (or however you spell it), isis, Sadam, bin laden, and many other key words have decorated news tickers my whole life. I have literally never consciously known the United States at peace.

I know why we were there, I know why we stayed there.

I hate the way the withdrawal was handled, much like me leaving the tractor headed for the beer store after a long week. I dont know why spending twenty years sending your boys and girls to the desert to fight and die doesnt merit a little more tact in withdrawal, or why our wonderful political ruling class is perfectly OK throwing away millions of dollars in military supplies when they stand ready to crucify me over my taxes.

I think this is ultimately where we would have ended up whether it be ten, twenty, or a hundred years from now. A lifetime of observation has lead this peanut farmer to believe that what once was a crusade against evil has slowly bit surely become a game of diplomatic whack-a-mole. What once seemed like rescuing a people from the darkness and disparity of evil now seems like rescuing a fish from water.

To those who sacrificed anything be it large or small, I'm sorry. I'm sorry so much seems to have gone to waste, and I'm sorry all I can do is say I'm sorry.

 

[manitou1]

As a vet with multiple "vacations" in Afgahniland I fully expected this, albeit not so quickly.
What bothers me is that "Unc Sam" did not have the foresight to remove the U.S. weapons platforms, systems, and gear that were left for them to play with.

 

[Cheesehead]

Two contradictory views I hold about this mess

Biden for FINALLY getting us out of an endless war, which politically takes some serious stones.



The efficacy and forethought with which he did it.

 

[Cornell2012]

Thread is locked. We have not shown the ability to handle politically decisive topics in a respectful fashion.

What has happened and is happening in Afghanistan is a tragedy. Policies from both sides of the aisle over the past 20 years have landed us here. I hope we can find ways to help those who helped us.