Taliban Taking Over Afghanistan - Does anyone care?

[hog88]

So he couldn't be court marshalled, but he could be brought up on war crimes?

No President of the United States will stand trial for war crimes.

 

[theFallGuy]

American reporters having to get rescued by the British?

Washington Post reporter shares how British troops escorted her and Afghan colleagues to safety | Daily Mail Online

 

[Grand Vol]

No President of the United States will stand trial for war crimes.

Yeah, not a road we really want to go down.

 

[Grand Vol]

American reporters having to get rescued by the British?

Washington Post reporter shares how British troops escorted her and Afghan colleagues to safety | Daily Mail Online

This is news?

The 82nd Airborne Commander allegedly asked the Brits to stop escorting people in because it was making him look bad.

 

[hog88]

Yeah, not a road we really want to go down.

Nope.

 

[rjd970]

We shouldn't care or give a shizz if NATO members or other countries are pissed at us for putting America and it's citizens first. When a POTUS is doing his job I suspect most of Europe is pissed off at us. We should all care when a POTUS gives the impression that we are weak and lead by incompetents, that encourages our enemies to take advantage.

Fair enough.

 

[hog88]

This is news?

The 82nd Airborne Commander allegedly asked the Brits to stop escorting people in because it was making him look bad.

I would really like to say "NFW a senior officer in the US Army would say that" but sadly I can't.

 

[Grand Vol]

I would really like to say "NFW a senior officer in the US Army would say that" but sadly I can't.

I really want a General with some balls to do the right thing and defy the powers the be and go get people out of harm's way.

And when they get relieved, their successor dies the same thing until they find a political patsy that's content to get promoted by being a bitch.

And each of those Generals goes on national broadcast and presents their case. Let the American people decide their guilt or innocence.

 

[utvolpj]

I don't remember our "allies" being publicly critical of us like we're seeing now. Again, that doesn't really matter to me, but @kiddiedoc was using the lens of foreign policy, which would take into account their response to our actions.

Our actions since WW2 not just Afghanistan. Just because some Brit whose country blindly followed us in thinks it was a good idea doesn't mean it didn't cause more harm. This pullout is small compared to the effect of the Iraq decision

 

[rjd970]

I think something that is getting lost in all this is the fact that the chaos of the pullout is centered on getting Afghans out. The number of Americans at the airport isn't more than a few hundred. Americans and allies aren't being stopped, or shot at. The Taliban is honoring the 31 August date.

This was definitely bungled, but I'm struggling to see how this is the worst thing ever.

 

[utvolpj]

I think something that is getting lost in all this is the fact that the chaos of the pullout is centered on getting Afghans out. The number of Americans at the airport isn't more than a few hundred. Americans and allies aren't being stopped, or shot at. The Taliban is honoring the 31 August date.

This was definitely bungled, but I'm struggling to see how this is the worst thing ever.

It will get interesting when we try to push the 8/31 date as Biden suggested. The Taliban has said that's not happening

 

[hog88]

I really want a General with some balls to do the right thing and defy the powers the be and go get people out of harm's way.

And when they get relieved, their successor dies the same thing until they find a political patsy that's content to get promoted by being a bitch.

And each of those Generals goes on national broadcast and presents their case. Let the American people decide their guilt or innocence.

Never going to happen. They don't give stars to guys with balls.

 

[Orangeslice13]

That is an overly simplistic view of this crap. Biden screwed up royally. Trump screwed up royally. Same for Obama and Bush. Everyone contributed to this mess. Trump released 5000 fighters plus the current leader in a peace accord that didn't include the Afghans. Obama and Bush gave billions of dollars in weaponry to the Afghan government in a nation building exercise that anyone with half a brain knew was destined for failure. This was always going to be a crappy outcome unless we stayed forever.

Again
Complete deflection.
This starts, stops and ends with Biden shiting the bed.

 

[KB5252]

I think something that is getting lost in all this is the fact that the chaos of the pullout is centered on getting Afghans out. The number of Americans at the airport isn't more than a few hundred. Americans and allies aren't being stopped, or shot at. The Taliban is honoring the 31 August date.

This was definitely bungled, but I'm struggling to see how this is the worst thing ever.

The issue at one point was that Americans couldn't get to the airport safely. I honestly haven't been following developments this weekend, have we accounted for all Americans and are they now at the airport?

 

[rjd970]

Again
Complete deflection.
This starts, stops and ends with Biden shiting the bed.

Did you even read that post? Particularly the second sentence.

The rest of it is absolutely accurate, unless you are suggesting we pin the last 20 years on Biden too.

 

[Orangeslice13]

It will get interesting when we try to push the 8/31 date as Biden suggested. The Taliban has said that's not happening

They think they can push Biden around. They expect him to back down.

 

[hog88]

They think they can push Biden around. They expect him to back down.

So does everyone else.

 

[Orangeslice13]

Did you even read that post? Particularly the second sentence.

The rest of it is absolutely accurate, unless you are suggesting we pin the last 20 years on Biden too.

It’s deflection. Completely irrelevant to the cluster **** we’re seeing today. It hasn’t fallen apart for 20 years and would not have fallen apart if we had any sort of plan…..at all.

 

[Orangeslice13]

So does everyone else.

They’re not wrong.

 

[utvolpj]

They think they can push Biden around. They expect him to back down.

It's a safe bluff to call. His only choice is to go back in when he's been taking a victory lap on this pullout.

 

[rjd970]

The issue at one point was that Americans couldn't get to the airport safely. I honestly haven't been following developments this weekend, have we accounted for all Americans and are they now at the airport?

The only thing I know is the situation on the ground seems to be to let Americans and allies get out. After 31 August, all bets are off.

The terror seems to be centered around going after the locals who helped the Americans.

 

[Sandman 423]

That is an overly simplistic view of this crap. Biden screwed up royally. Trump screwed up royally. Same for Obama and Bush. Everyone contributed to this mess. Trump released 5000 fighters plus the current leader in a peace accord that didn't include the Afghans. Obama and Bush gave billions of dollars in weaponry to the Afghan government in a nation building exercise that anyone with half a brain knew was destined for failure. This was always going to be a crappy outcome unless we stayed forever.

I think it is interesting that some people keep making this about our policy in Afghanistan. Everyone is pissed because we pulled our troops out before our civilians even though they knew this would happen. Who ever came up with this plan needs to retire or be relieved.

 

[Orangeslice13]

We’re drowning because someone pulled a drain plug with no evacuation plan and some of you want to talk about where the water came from.

 

[rjd970]

It’s deflection. Completely irrelevant to the cluster **** we’re seeing today. It hasn’t fallen apart for 20 years and would not have fallen apart if we had any sort of plan…..at all.

Let me get this clear, are you saying that the Taliban wouldn't have taken over if this withdrawal would have gone smoothly?

 

[hog88]

I think it is interesting that some people keep making this about our policy in Afghanistan. Everyone is pissed because we pulled our troops out before our civilians even though they knew this would happen. Who ever came up with this plan needs to retire or be relieved.

It's not even that we pulled our troops out without letting our allies or citizens know. It's the fact we pulled all support from the Afgan Army KNOWING the Taliban would over run them in a few weeks without a plan to get our people out.