Politics

[Saul]

Yes. We could have went in and killed the necessary people and and left. But we did not, we killed folks and then started nation building, that places us there for the long haul.

You might want to look at some you tube video of that area in the 60’s and 70’s. Big difference and very westernized.

And why is it our responsibility to carry on with the disastrous decisions of the past? If this were such a worthy cause, then UN peacekeeping forces and maybe NATO should be the ones in there, not US soldiers and US dollars carrying to prop up an entire country in which the majority of the population still hates us. With the number and scale of domestic and international problems facing our nation, our resources are much better spent elsewhere.

 

[PARA45]

And why is it our responsibility to carry on with the disastrous decisions of the past? If this were such a worthy cause, then UN peacekeeping forces and maybe NATO should be the ones in there, not US soldiers and US dollars carrying to prop up an entire country in which the majority of the population still hates us. With the number and scale of domestic and international problems facing our nation, our resources are much better spent elsewhere.

This could be said of all the places we are in. The only place I actually had individuals come up to me and thank me for being there, where South Koreans. Everywhere else I've been, they want us out of there period, and that includes most of our allies.

 

[Newboomer]

Then, while we are at it, we should pull out of everywhere we have troops.

Not a bad idea. Why should the USA run all over the world wiping someone's ass or nose when they show no appreciation whatsoever? Let them handle their own problems---which they created themselves. As for Asscrackistan, we should never have gone there in the first place. Those people have been fighting since the dawn of time and they will fight til the end of time whether they have a valid reason or not. In all the 20 pus years we have wasted there, not one meaningful thing has been accomplished. We have been played for the ultimate sucker by those people.

Bring our troops home and station them on our southern border with the only mandate that will win a war: SOS, STK. Shoot On Sight, Shoot To Kill. That may sound harsh but it is the only thing those hordes understand. Everything else has failed. Time to up the ante if we want to save our great natiion.

 

[Wheels]

 

[Wheels]

 

[Ray B]

The solution to Afghanistan and other problem spots does not involve the military. The solution involves an accurate defining of the problem(s) and how the problem came about and how it is supported. A significant portion of the hate against the US is reaction to intervention by military and social change agencies.. So adding more is only going to cause more discontent. Funding in the Arab world to pay for an army and terrorism has two sources: Opium and derivatives, and petroleum. So one solution would be to stop the War on Drugs. change the classification of serious drugs from illegal to regulated, and recreational to legal. The opium fields would become virtually worthless as would ownership of a drug cartel. Secondly, get off the green track and resume production of various energy sources. Lowering the relative demand for Arab oil and put them back in the rugmaking business.

Unfortunately for the US and the world, Americas foreign adversaries and the internal interests (military industrial complex) there are too many people with self interest for the solutions to be implemented.

 

[Hogpatrol]

 

[Wheels]

 

[CoElkHunter]

The problem is a barbaric or even cave man ideology and Islam is used as the excuse for their actions. Centuries of tribal fighting and inbreeding has led those people down a curved path that nobody can straighten out. If women want things different over there they will have to do it themselves. I don't believe that the average Afghan male cares one bit for anyone but himself, maybe his sons, and this total collapse proves it. I would rather die young and fighting in that horrible situation than live for another 80 years under the rule of illiterate barbarians.

I for one am not surprised in the least that the Taliban took over with the speed they did. When their drive meets the average Afghani's resolve, only bad things can come of it.

I also don't and haven't seen our occupation over there as a "war" as most label it. In my view, we were merely over there to keep the Taliban from running uninhibited and congregating for too long like before 9/11. Having bases in the country sure makes that easier. Now that is gone and they are free to do as they please with absolutely no help from those we trained and left well armed.

Yep. The Western civilized world will be paying a hefty price for this fiasco soon. They are emboldened now and like minded radical groups are determined to spread their caliphate throughout the world. Even Pakistan is now worried about the “Pakistani Taliban” making noise in their country. The relative quiet we’ve enjoyed for the last 20 some years with regards to successful massive terrorist attacks is over. Hold on to your knickers because as sure as the sun rises tomorrow, it’s coming!

 

[jpr9954]

I'm not anti-gay by any means but it sure would have been nice if the US Embassy Kabul spent as much time on planning an evacuation as they did on their planning for Pride Month in June 2021.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1400060130243362816

 

[Surgeon1]

Joe:
There you go again sniffing someone else's hair!

View attachment 418799

 

[Saul]

This could be said of all the places we are in. The only place I actually had individuals come up to me and thank me for being there, where South Koreans. Everywhere else I've been, they want us out of there period, and that includes most of our allies.

Totally agree. Unless the location has strategic significance in current conflict, I see no reason why we should be wasting money all over the world.

 

[Brent in Az]

 

[VertigoBE]

With the obviously predictable messages now coming out that the Taliban have begun collecting privately held firearms:


It would be good if someone in marketing, could make a world wide media mass campaign about linking any politician who wants to limit private gun ownership to these images of the Taliban confiscating firearms. (And the very likely mass murder that is about to happen there)

Between all the esteemed AH members, are there none with connections who could push for such a campaign?

 

[Vashper]

Not a bad idea. Why should the USA run all over the world wiping someone's ass or nose when they show no appreciation whatsoever? Let them handle their own problems---which they created themselves. As for Asscrackistan, we should never have gone there in the first place. Those people have been fighting since the dawn of time and they will fight til the end of time whether they have a valid reason or not. In all the 20 pus years we have wasted there, not one meaningful thing has been accomplished. We have been played for the ultimate sucker by those people.

With your permission, I will stand up for the Afghans. As I heard, 1 trillion 200 billion was spent there. This is 40 thousand dollars for everyone, including real babies. Although for 20 years, but, in my opinion, this is a lot, and according to Afghan concepts, this is a fucking cloud of money. And they, this money, somehow can't be seen there. So in my opinion, if someone has thrown someone for money, it is not only and not so much - the Afghans.
I remember, in the 80s, as my friends told me, this was a big problem. The United States annually paid the Mujahideen 500 million net (only 500 million!). This allowed them to maintain an army of 300 thousand bayonets, because 50 bucks a month (so much reached ordinary soldiers) was a lot of money in an absolutely impoverished country. What happened with the distribution of funds later is a clear and unconditional progress, I don't know how taxpayers put up with it.

 

[Hogpatrol]

With your permission, I will stand up for the Afghans. As I heard, 1 trillion 200 billion was spent there. This is 40 thousand dollars for everyone, including real babies. Although for 20 years, but, in my opinion, this is a lot, and according to Afghan concepts, this is a fucking cloud of money. And they, this money, somehow can't be seen there. So in my opinion, if someone has thrown someone for money, it is not only and not so much - the Afghans.
I remember, in the 80s, as my friends told me, this was a big problem. The United States annually paid the Mujahideen 500 million net (only 500 million!). This allowed them to maintain an army of 300 thousand bayonets, because 50 bucks a month (so much reached ordinary soldiers) was a lot of money in an absolutely impoverished country. What happened with the distribution of funds later is a clear and unconditional progress, I don't know how taxpayers put up with it.

How do the taxpayers put up with it? Because the military industrial complex directly and by proxy controls the U.S. congress, state and local politicians and the tens of millions of workers and their unions employed by this mega-enterprise. Need more proof?

Military Bases By State – ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MS, MO

Military Bases By State – Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana

militarybases.com

Example: Senator Jockstrap says to Senator MaryJoe. "I'll vote for your new train station if you vote for improvements in my state's naval airbase". "We'll put it in the infrastructure bill".

75 years on this rock and one thing I've learned about the superpowers. World peace isn't their goal. It's something to be avoided at all costs.

 

[jpr9954]

 

[jacques smith]

We spend 20 years trying to dig combatants out of caves. Now when they are out in the open as targets of opportunity we run like school girls. Think I’ll puke

 

[Foxi]

The West has failed,
nonsense,a neoliberal western elite lied into their own pockets for 20 yrs,the
re-educating archaic tribal warriors into voting democrats is a success

Trump has already announced the date of withdrawal.
Should the Western troops have stayed another two,or three decades?
If the Afghan army does not want to fight, even holds the door open for the Talibans in Kabul, it is impudent to demand that we continue to sacrifice our sons for them.

 

[Hogpatrol]

@Foxi, Anyone in this country with a half a brain knew trying to bring Western civilization to one embedded in the seventh century was folly. In the end, it was and still is all about the money to be made from strife.