"Afghanistan to fall to Taliban come September"

Didn't take that long.


https://www.newsweek.com/afghan-president-ashraf-ghani-flees-tajikistan-amid-taliban-entering-kabul-1619484

"Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has reportedly fled the country for neighboring Tajikistan after Taliban militants entered the nation's capital Kabul, on Sunday."


Maybe Afghanistan will be renamed Talibanistan

Biden's recent comments about the situation
in Afghanistan.


http://twitter.com/i/status/1426710333264179214

From an interview with Robert Gates, who served as defense secretary for the Obama administration.

--------

MARGARET BRENNAN: I was rereading your memoir before we sat down to talk and you said in your memoir, Joe Biden is impossible not to like.

Quote: "He's a man of integrity, incapable of hiding what he really thinks, and one of those rare people you know you could turn to for help in a personal crisis. Still, I think he's been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades."

Would he be an effective commander-in-chief?

ROBERT GATES: I-- I don't know. I don't know. I-- I think I stand by that statement. He and I agreed on some key issues in the Obama administration. We disagreed significantly on Afghanistan and some other issues. I think that the vice president had some issues with the military. So how he would get along with the senior military, and what that relationship would be, I just-- I think, it-- it would depend on the personalities at the time.

MARGARET BRENNAN: He's a peer of yours. Does that mean you're older?

ROBERT GATES: Yes.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You think he's right for this moment?

ROBERT GATES: I think I'm pretty busy and pretty active but I think-- I think having a President who is somebody our age or older, in the case of Senator Sanders, is- I think it's problematic. I think that you don't have the kind of energy that I think is required to be President. I think-- I'm not sure you have the intellectual acuity that you might have had in your sixties. So, I mean it's just a personal view. For me, the thought of taking on those responsibilities at this point in my life would be pretty daunting

I suspected it would come apart that fast. Just as fast as Vietnam did. Stuff falls apart, and no amount of shoring up will stop it from happening. All it really showed, was how weak the ruling government was.
And, just like rats deserting a sinking ship, we need to do the same.

Current US military deployments over 3000

Japan 53,938
South Korea 26,326
Germany 35,486
Italy 12,535
United Kingdom 9,515
Guam 6,161
Bahrain 4,008
Spain 3,256

I'm not a military expert. I'm not a foreign policy expert. I'm not opposed the withdrawing of troops from Afghanistan or anywhere else. What I don't understand is justifying over 35,000 military personnel in Germany, over 12,000 in Italy, over 9,000 in the United Kingdom and over 3,000 in Spain but can't justify less than 3,000 in Afghanistan. Is Spain under a greater threat from bad actors/terrorists than Afghanistan?

What I do know is that when Obama announced a "date certain" for the draw down of troops from Iraq ISIS made their move to take over parts of the country. What I do know is that Biden announced a "date certain" for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan resulting in the Taliban is taking over the country. In the case of Iraq troops were sent back into the country. Is that going to happen in Afghanistan too? Biden has sent 7,000 military personnel to secure the airport in Kabul so Americans can leave the country.

History is repeating itself. Making the withdrawal of troops based on a calendar rather than conditions has proven to have disastrous results.

I don't hang a sign on my door saying when I'm not going to be home.....I know that thieves will wait until I'm gone before they break in.

In today’s UN Security Council meeting the Russian rep announced that the Troika will take care of Afghanistan.

Troika - Russia, China & Pakistan

Good points and good questions!
I also don't really understand why the US has to have it's foot in the door in so many 1st world countries that don't need them. None of the countries you mention make any sense whatsoever apart from wanting to mind other people's business.

As for leaving... this dude on page 1 said "if they can't take care of themselves after 20 yrs of support & finances..." I think would only be viable if the US had actually supported them, guided them and helped them to do it themselves. The way it goes in reality is usually barging into another country, taking over, taking control, ruining whatever systems they had, then after X amount of years buggering off and leaving said country with nothing to rely on anymore. And possibly an even worse hostile situation because of this invaders presence for so long that grated on other countries.

I think pulling back from a country is very difficult. Look at the Romans. When their empire fell apart and they vanished from for all the countries they'd taken over, the world entered the Dark Ages. Their presence had destroyed people's own systems, culture, way of living & surviving, wisdom and knowledge. People couldn't maintain what was built up by the Romans as it wasn't their thing and the ruling power had left and there was no more central authority and governing organ.

I suspect it's in a way similar with the US leaving Afghan.

I'm also not an expert, but simply bouncing off how it usually goes.
Wonder how you feel about this?

It's a big fiasco over there. doofus biden gave away the military base that had an airbase a while ago, and how the only airport that can handle military aircraft is at Kabul, and the Taliban has taken hold of part of the runway. And, I guess it's near tall buildings, so they can shoot at the planes as they take off. It's currently shut down.

The USA had no business over there. I guess they were trying to teach the Afghan military how to fight, and use US supplied weapons. Problem- A good many solders in their army-CAN'T READ! How the devil can these guys be handed a weapon, if they can't read the operating instructions?

It's entirely possible we'll end up with a hostage situation. Who's to blame? Stupid biden. While all of this was coming down, stupid biden is on vacation at Camp David. So, the nitwit came back and starts blaming Trump.

Some are saying this is the biggest foreign policy mess ever. biden made it. He's trying to dodge the mess, but it's not working.He just made himself a one term president, if he doesn't resign first.

Idiot.

Hi John,
Why list troops in NATO nations when costs / expenses are shared?

Oh, and after his useless speech, the jerk WENT BACK on vacation. Any wonder why some of us hate this jabbering IDIOT?

Lets look at some numbers with regard to NATO member nations.

There are 30 members of NATO. Member nations AGREED to pay a percentage of their countries GDP, 2 percent, to NATO. Most didn't even come close to their financial OBLIGATION.
Of the 30 member nation 10 met the 2% GDP threshold.
The United States paid 3.52% of GDP which resulted in 22% of NATO funding.



Shared cost? Sure the costs are shared, but are they shared equitably/fairly????
That is a rhetorical question, the answer is obvious.

I have not met Mr. T but I agree with him that this could be a hard lesson to learn; a realization on all sides that the world has changed and now that Biden’s US is willing to discard it’s role of being the ‘leading light of the world’ it’s an invitation to Republicans, Indians, terrorists, et all, to coexist ..., like in Mingle?

Except that the Chinks have other plans.

End Story from Thomson Reuters Foundation

https://news.trust.org/item/20210813172208-7c4x1/


Floggings to forced marriages

Taliban fighters, unlike their political officers, are unfortunately behaving the same way they did when they were in power.

AAA yup. Got a group that wants to relive the stone ages. Is there solution?

Yes, but nobody besides the taliban want to go there. It was Hitler's solution to the jews. You are, we know, turn around, ignore the loud click. As crude as that group is, about the only way to make them think twice, is to dole out justice as they do.

Got a better idea? I'm all ears.

There’s a deeper story than the Human side. Why would Biden pull out troops when negotiations between Af government and Taliban were going on in Qatar?
Now, I find that ‘deal with Taliban’ was already made by Trump(?) Here are some details.



So what Dexter Filkins said is Biden decided to honor Trump's deal that included the Taliban but not the Afghan government.

I read that today the first evacuees from Afghanistan arrive in Belgium.
Sorry to say, but more people from trouble countries coming here? What the bleep do we do with 'em and where are they to go?
I cannot help but say it's not right we get this chit on our shoulders every bloody time. Our countries are over-saturated with refugees and people not from our culture that do not integrate properly and ruin all our systems and culture.
I wished the world forced Saoudi Arabia to take on this chit. But they just refuse.

This is just a guess, but if they came from Afghanistan, Belgium is just a stopover for them, on their way to the USA.

Not that I like that they are heading for my country. But they did put themselves in harms way to provide us with information against the common enemy. They are not safe in their homeland now. They must have gotten some documentation that got them on that transport out. With the country being in such a flap, There has to be some stopover point for refueling, or just to change aircraft. Few planes can fly halfway around the world on a single load of fuel, and carry any sort of large load.

Kiwi journalist Charlotte Bellis stationed in Kabul , one of three woman who were allowed to attend the Taliban press conference . Her first question was about women’s rights under the new government ...

“The Taliban’s first press conference on Tuesday created headlines around the world, but some of those headlines weren’t about the answers provided, but about one person in the room.

A woman. Blonde hair peaking out from her headscarf. Question ready to fire. And fire she did.

Charlotte Bellis, a journalist with Al Jazeera English launched the opening question to long-time Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, and she didn’t hold back.

Would Afghanistan’s new rulers respect women’s rights?” the New Zealander queried.

She then followed up by asking if the new government would once more lock women and female children in their houses and refuse them education

Mujahid said women would have rights to education, health and employment and that they would be “happy” abiding by sharia law.

What that means, the women of Afghanistan and observers around the world will no doubt find out over the next few weeks and Watch the video in this article to hear her insight on the takeover of Afghanistan.

Listen to the video at the top of this article to hear Charlotte share some of her insights on the takeover of Afghanistan...

http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2021/08/kiwi-journalist-charlotte-bellis-won-t-evacuate-afghanistan-despite-taliban-takeover.html

Watching the chaos and desperation of those trying to flee Kabul is heartbreaking . if the Taliban are listening .. My message to them is to stand as men of integrity and honour .. let those who wish to leave, do so peacefully and without fear . Control the actions of your troops (especially rogue soldiers ) and ensure they uphold the reassurances you are giving to the people of Afghanistan and to the world .


To Charlotte .. Kia kaha ... so very proud of you . On behalf of kiwis , women and children thank you stay safe .

Funny how people from other countries always think they're the ones to bear the brunt.
These Afghan people stay in Belgium as refugee.
The EU is currently trying to decide how many can be taken into EU countries.

We in The Netherlands are getting a number too and I fear the numbers will only increase as we never say "no", even when it is simply not possible. And considering the great amount of refugees and non-Dutch we already have taken on over the years under pressure of the EU, it stopped being possible a long time ago.
That's why I said what I did.
I understand these people want to get away from the chit in their country, but when are these countries going to sort out their own chit themselves?
I believe NZ & AUS have far stricter rules, which I do believe is better. We cannot take on everyone from each bleeped up country.

I've had this discussion before with English, them being convinced they were the only ones to carry the load and get refugees. It's shocking how people are not informed.
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