Biden Leaving Afghanistan discussion (1 Viewer)

[enoilgam]

Im laughing at the US as well, imagine spending $2.2 trillion on a war in some third world country, whilst your infrastructure is crumbling, you have crippling social inequality and numerous issues with domestic health care access. No wonder the country is going down the toilet. Worst of all, China is laughing and moving in to fill the void left by the USA (which should scare everyone).

 

[blyatman]

The numbers you're quoting are in open conventional warfare. As I already said, the US dominates in that arena. Yes, the US was able to push out the Taliban when they were an organized fighting force. However, once that finished, it became fighting Taliban insurgents, where the US did not find similar successes. And no, the US did not drive out every Taliban insurgent to Pakistan. They were continuously fighting Taliban insurgents for 20yrs in Afghanistan, not in Pakistan.

Also, in regards to oyur stats, the US lost a lot more than 2,500. The government only publishes casualties of American military personnel. A significant portion of the US presence in Afghanistan is from private contractors (aka mercenaries), and their deaths do not get published because they are not technically part of the military. It's actually a big reason (though not the only reason) why they hire contractors - they want to downplay casualties to the American public.

 

[blyatman]

They did have tanks and aircraft - not many, and the ones they did got wiped out by the air war on the opening day as you mentioned. Yes, they fought in the mountains, but that was still in the open, so they got wiped by overwhelming air power half the time. Regardless, I'm not talking about this - I'm talking about INSURGENCIES in populated areas. Fighting insurgents that pop up here and there is what the US could never deal with from the start. Read the second paragraph: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Afghanistan_(2001–present)
They crushed 99% of the Taliban, but could never quash the remaining 1% that was a thorn in their side for 20yrs, and it's how the Taliban were always able to remain relevant (however little) for all this time. Even Trump had to sign a truce with them last year, because they couldn't beat the insurgency.

 

[blyatman]

Yes! That's exactly my point lol. It's pointless most of the time since they just come back after you leave. It's the point I've been making when I said the US couldn't crush (i.e. 100% defeat) the Taliban lol. The US were fighting a Taliban insurgency, which is very difficult to beat for any country short of a scorched earth carpet bombing strategy.

 

[blyatman]

Yeh fair enough, just different definitions.

 

[SylviaB]

Worst of all, China is laughing and moving in to fill the void left by the USA (which should scare everyone).

China were happy the US were wasting so much money and they aren't filling the void in afghanistan

 

[CM_Tutor]

And who provided weapons and training to the Mujahideen to fight the Soviets? The Americans. It is amazing that American policy makers failed to recognise that the way that Afghanistan was made ungovernable for Soviet occupiers would almost inevitably push out American forces. Bush planned for an invasion but not for post-invasion stabilisation nor an exit plan for leaving behind a functional and stable country, just like in Iraq, and these failures were never adequately rectified in the following decades.

 

[cosmo 2]

 

[SylviaB]

And who provided weapons and training to the Mujahideen to fight the Soviets? The Americans. It is amazing that American policy makers failed to recognise that the way that Afghanistan was made ungovernable for Soviet occupiers would almost inevitably push out American forces. Bush planned for an invasion but not for post-invasion stabilisation nor an exit plan for leaving behind a functional and stable country, just like in Iraq, and these failures were never adequately rectified in the following decades.

lmaooo as america could "stabilise" a place like Afghanistan

 

[windebygirl]

all well and good to be mad at biden and scomo, but right now the best we can all do is push the aus gov (scomo) to up the evacuation, and open the borders to afghan refugees. he's only given 5mil to the humanitarian fund, which is like nothing when it comes to the fed reserve. pressure him to do more. it's all we can do.

 

[cosmo 2]

lol why the fuck would anyone want to import ppl who betrayed their own country here?

 

[enoilgam]

China were happy the US were wasting so much money and they aren't filling the void in afghanistan

They are already cozying up to the Taliban so they can get there hands on some of Afghanistan's fine natural resources.

 

[SylviaB]

They are already cozying up to the Taliban so they can get there hands on some of Afghanistan's fine natural resources.

that's completely different than "filling the void"

its just exploiting the situation for their own benefit

 

[SylviaB]

what a beautiful culture

hard to believe these people support/assist the taliban

Hundreds of men attack one woman

A TikTok star who went to film at a park has been allegedly assaulted by hundreds of men in a sickening attack.

www.news.com.au

 

[blyatman]

Great video about the geopolitical history of Afghanistan:

 

[cosmo 2]

 

[dan964]

There are a couple of factors that I think make the situation quite volatile.
For a starters, I am of the opinion, that if the west wants to maintain any progress from a human rights perspective they will have to engage with the Taliban.

Secondly, irrespective of the West's involvement now, Afghanistan is on the brink of a civil war, between IS and the Taliban, (and yes Islam is invoked/involved in this conflict).

Very interesting to read the social commentary on it, everyone is eager to blame someone else...

 

[dan964]

Even though a lot of people hated him, and he had his issues, Trump for some reason, was able to keep some other world leaders like China and North Korea in check.

 

[SylviaB]

Even though a lot of people hated him, and he had his issues, Trump for some reason, was able to keep some other world leaders like China and North Korea in check.

nah trump really fucked up with NK