1. Trump & Pompeo negotiated a deal in Doha that was a lose/lose situation with the Taliban. That deal in Feb '20 attempted to force peace deals between the Afghan govt and the Taliban and also get our troops out pronto.
2. The Afghanistan war was never winnable and a debacle for any president who inherited it. At this point if the Afghan govt can't get their own people to fight for country we shouldn't be there in any capacity.
3. Yes Biden inherited a deal, but it looks weak blaming Trump. People who have half a brain and don't rely on cable news can see we've spent enough $ and lost enough lives. Polish the turd as much as possible and wash your hands of it.
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the Taliban free to take over the country at their own pace - The US and UN have given the installed gov't all that was needed
to defend itself and create its own authority. It's their country, they must do it on their own.
Having no intel on how quickly the Taliban would reassert itself makes sense. The Afghan gov't would have made
an assessment on this and if they got it wrong - that's their battle to fight.
We're out - The only thing I hope is, all those who supported the US and UN during these long years, who were
promised asylum elsewhere do get out as promised.
over the country at their own pace" Just one example, Afghanistan athletics even attended Olympic Game in Soul months after USSR began withdrawal process.
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The US military knew the strength of the Afghan army as well as the determination of the Taliban. The Taliban have been in wait for
years knowing these days would come. They were all set to fill the void once the US/UN departed. Everyone knew this - there
is and was no secret. The inevitability of this was known years ago.
The thing about it is, the Afghan's knew this too.
Blinken and Co. got the time-line wrong - really no explanation needed - they just have very short term memory and short-sighted
view of an outcome. No debacle, just didn't go the way they wanted it to.
They had no contingency planning for a rapid complete collapse.
That will now be in the playbook.
Something like this was bound to happen. Just man up and own it. In time it will be shown to have been the right choice.
with zero to little experience in world affairs - we have a big military so we don't need to think beyond expediency. ( take a look at this board -
so many on here are world affair experts suddenly and yet they still can't find Afghanistan on a map. But they're willing to shout, "blow'em up
shoot them - send the military in" noting none would be on the front lines.)
It's always the same no matter who is in charge. Look at our consulates around the globe. We have ambassadors who are appointed by
POTUS's and all they've ever done was run a toy store. Bad stuff. Blinken has been around and is better than most (experienced) so it's just
his inability to get the time-line correct. The Biden admin got that wrong. Do better.
That's going to live in the memory for a long time and his opponents will take great pleasure in punishing him for it.
Gary Hart on the Monkey Business boat. Dukakis in his tank. Trump and Sharpie Gate. Be difficult to shake this imagery. Optics optics optics....
Difference is unlike the cult with Orange, no one is saying he’s blameless here.
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There was no reason to think the government and army would collapse essentially without a fight, especially since they are going to be the ones that pay the price.
Even Najibullah’s government lasted a few years.
What happened to the “elite units”? Or Dostum’s guys? Or the remnants of the northern alliance?
It is amazing. But it is their tragedy, not ours.
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Americans always think that's the cure. It rarely if ever is.
Then we try to deal with it our way like money, nation building etc.
In the meantime the tribal savages who play the long game just bide their time and smile, and sometimes make a little money off it.
Iraq - "the quagmire" but when there was money to be made, invade!
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Nevertheless, President Biden is responsible for the safe withdrawal of US personnel/assets + Afghan nationalists who helped us.
And it is becoming clear that we have failed to meet those obligations. Biden has to own that failure.
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So have a beer and celebrate, while the catastrophe unravels.
I remain fiercely objective and forthright when criticism is warranted.
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Nothing has changed on that front, nor is likely to change in the future.
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without telling anyone, that could even be worse.
Bottom line is the options were maintaining a small presence indefinitely or giving our allies fair warning that we are leaving with some type of deadline.
I don't see how any American can watch this complete fucking debacle without feeling profoundly depressed.
If this is the inevitable result of a withdrawal, then we should have stayed. This is about the worst possible outcome. These Taliban shitbirds are going to get right to work planning the next humiliation for us.
Leaving a small force was the recommended Pentagon option.
He needs to explain and own it and then move on. In the long run, I still feel it was the correct choice.
(EDIT: Now 6000)
Link: Biden's Afghanistan Exit Raises Questions About His Foreign-Policy Record
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No people on earth wants to be ruled by others... or their Vichy surrogates.
We are aliens in these strange lands.
Leave the neo-colonialism to the Chinese.
It's their turn to commit our ancient errors.
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This is the outcome when we realize our mistakes.
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here from many who have been calling for a complete withdrawal for years is redunkulous.
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at the end of the name?
I think the overall glaring issue is how the Afghans have simply rolled over for the Taliban.