Afghanistan

[IGotWorms]

Wow that collapsed quickly.

Sending some 5,000 troops, to ensure an orderly withdrawal I guess?

Thoughts?

[fandandy]

The US government top to bottom and the US military are corrupt and incompetent and the US is a has-been nation and an embarrassment.  

 

[MDC]

There will never be a time when withdrawal from Afghanistan won’t be a clusterfock. We either accept that and leave or stay forever. 

[Hardcore troubadour]

It was all a waste. More harm than good, a complete failure.  Anyone with half a brain could have seen this coming.  Should have went in, hunted down as much of the Taliban as possible and killed them on sight. Then left and let it be known we would be back if there was another peep out of them outside their own shithole. Savages in sandals. And we should have burned the poppy fields assuring nothing would grow  on them for years.  

[IGotWorms]

Just now, fandandy said:

The US government top to bottom and the US military are corrupt and incompetent and the US is a has-been nation and an embarrassment.  

 

Well we similarly lost Vietnam, maybe a few others? Didn’t do us in then.

Though Vietnam ultimately ended up a success story, probably unrelated to our involvement but still. Won’t be seeing that with Afghanistan 

[IGotWorms]

1 minute ago, MDC said:

There will never be a time when withdrawal from Afghanistan won’t be a clusterfock. We either accept that and leave or stay forever. 

True. Just sad to see and will only further erode our standing in the world, such as it may be at this point

[Hardcore troubadour]

Obama and Trump were too gutless to pull out and Biden was stupid enough to do it. Politically speaking. Trump would have done it in his second term I believe. 

[Cdub100]

Complete and total failure. I feel terrible for the families who lost loved ones and the warfighters who suffered over there. Their sacrifice was for nothing.

 

[DonS]

11 years ago I spent 5 months at Firebase Thomas in Herat province. I was there as a contractor supporting our sensor platform which collects high resolution imagery and terrain data for mission planning.

The place was originally built by the Soviets.  It's the circle of life when I realize that some Taliban muthafocka is now jerking off in the same small room that I bunked (and jerked off) in. Just like the Ivan that had the room before me.

When we first got there we had to try and get rid of a horrendous stench from the room we used for processing. The source of the stench was from some POS Afghani that had locked a dog in the room and let it starve on purpose.  This behavior tells me all I need to know about those focking savages. 

[IGotWorms]

2 minutes ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

Obama and Trump were too gutless to pull out and Biden was stupid enough to do it. Politically speaking. Trump would have done it in his second term I believe. 

You pull out, you’re the one holding the bag. It’s an unenviable position.

But 20 years was enough.

[Cdub100]

Just now, Hardcore troubadour said:

Obama and Trump were too gutless to pull out and Biden was stupid enough to do it. Politically speaking. Trump would have done it in his second term I believe. 

Trump's plan was a slow withdrawal with checkpoints along the way. There was no absolute timeline. If ISIS sparked back up we would respond. 

Biden total the enemy we were leaving and even gave them a date. ISIS didn't even need to wait for that date.

Another question after 20 years of US training did the Afgan army even put up a fight? I mean at all?

[MDC]

12 minutes ago, IGotWorms said:

True. Just sad to see and will only further erode our standing in the world, such as it may be at this point

It will but we had no business being there in the first place. Staying in Afghanistan is the definition of the sunk cost fallacy at this point.

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy!]

7 minutes ago, MDC said:

It will but we had no business being there in the first place. Staying in Afghanistan is the definition of the sunk cost fallacy at this point.

Yep. This fockup lies squarely with Bush. The plan was absolute insanity from go. Everything since has been throwing good money after bad. 

[Utilit99]

39 minutes ago, IGotWorms said:

Wow that collapsed quickly.

Sending some 5,000 troops, to ensure an orderly withdrawal I guess?

Thoughts?

No chance on that collapse. Creepy Joe said so:

 

[Strike]

I've said since the day we invaded the place that we should get in, do our business, and GTFO.   Said the same thing about Iraq.  We don't need to be in the business of "nation building."  If you fock with us we will take you out and devastate your country.  Then we will leave and let you pick up the pieces.  That's how it should be.

That said, Biden focked up big time in the implementation of leaving.  He literally left Bagram airfield in the middle of the night without even doing the Afghan's the courtesy of telling them he was leaving:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-06/us-left-bagram-airfield-at-night-didnt-tell-new-commander/100272238

IMO this destroyed the morale of the fighter's we've been training for the last 20 years.  Maybe they would have folded just as easily had we not slipped away in the night, but it's easy to understand people questioning fighting for a cause when their biggest "ally" just bailed on them without even telling them. 

And as much as I think we should have just gotten in and out, I feel horrible for all the vulnerable people who are going to die due to the Biden administration's incompetence on this issue.  A lot of girls, women, and even Afghan's who worked with us have already been and are going to continue to be brutally raped and/or murdered.  That blood is on Biden's hands.  Not that he cares.  He's on vacation.

[Hardcore troubadour]

We had no business in Iraq. None whatsoever. 

[Strike]

Just now, Hardcore troubadour said:

We had no business in Iraq. None whatsoever. 

Of course we did.  To take out Saddam.  But that was all.

[Strike]

 

[Utilit99]

Why didn't the US wait until winter to pull out the soldiers? Doesn't the taliban going into hiding in Palestine during the winters? 

Afghan winters. 

Winter is cold, with an average temperature in January of -1 °C (30 °F), usually with freezing nights, and with possible peaks of -20/-25 °C (-4/-13 °F); snowfalls are fairly frequent and sometimes heavy. Summer is hot during the day, sometimes scorching, but nights remain usually cool.

[Reality]

What a shltshow... Can't believe this was the plan. Total lack of leadership.

[MDC]

3 minutes ago, Strike said:

Of course we did.  To take out Saddam.  But that was all.

Saddam posed no threat to the US and was a bulwark against Iran. We invaded solely to make Bush look tough and enrich war profiteers.

[Cdub100]

While I agree with most of you we shouldn't have ever gone there. The fact is we did and we were there for 20 years. We can't change that.

American men and women gave their blood sweat and lives over there.

I spent the last 13 year of my career supporting those men and women. Weeks and months away from my family making sure they could come home in one piece. I had a few opportunities to go to Afgan for a short tour, but it never lined up with what I had going on. (I was lucky enough to decide when and where I wanted to go as an Army Civilian.) Others not so much.

 

I never supported that war on a personal level, but I worked hard to keep our warfighters safe. I have very mixed emotions today. There is no honor here. All our work was for nothing. 

[Strike]

Just now, MDC said:

Saddam posed no threat to the US and was a bulwark against Iran. We invaded solely to make Bush look tough and enrich war profiteers.

No.  For the decade prior to invading Iraq we had to leave a bunch of military babysitting him in the Persian gulf, while he violated U.N. order after U.N. order and they refused to do anything about it.  Another reason the U.N. is useless but that's another thread.  I don't believe it's in our best interests to babysit dictators while the rest of the world does nothing, and in fact some countries were just ignoring sanctions and helping him.  Not to mention the little thing where he was murdering his own people in ways that are brutal and illegal.  Fock that.  He needed to go.  I thought so long before we took him out.  And we should have taken him out and then just GTFO of there.  We over complicate things.

[MDC]

Partisan Republicans complaining about leaving Afghanistan - stunner. Next they’ll start bitching about the debt again. 

[MDC]

2 minutes ago, Strike said:

No.  For the decade prior to invading Iraq we had to leave a bunch of military babysitting him in the Persian gulf, while he violated U.N. order after U.N. order and they refused to do anything about it.  Another reason the U.N. is useless but that's another thread.  I don't believe it's in our best interests to babysit dictators while the rest of the world does nothing, and in fact some countries were just ignoring sanctions and helping him.  Not to mention the little thing where he was murdering his own people in ways that are brutal and illegal.  Fock that.  He needed to go.  I thought so long before we took him out.  And we should have taken him out and then just GTFO of there.  We over complicate things.

The world is full of brutal dictators. The only difference with Saddam is the PNAC crowd and Cheney stood to make a lot of cash off removing him. 

Hard to believe that even with 20 years of hindsight some people manage to get it wrong.  

[joneo]

58 minutes ago, IGotWorms said:

Wow that collapsed quickly.

Sending some 5,000 troops, to ensure an orderly withdrawal I guess?

Thoughts?

Typical "wag your dog" stuff .  Political side show to distract the public from issues that worry the current adminstration e.g. Hunter Biden, Epstein etc.

[fandandy]

I want to start the No More Warriors Project and get on TV peddling my fleece throw that is imprinted with FOCK THE US GOVERNMENT.

 

[Strike]

6 minutes ago, MDC said:

The world is full of brutal dictators. The only difference with Saddam is the PNAC crowd and Cheney stood to make a lot of cash off removing him. 

Hard to believe that even with 20 years of hindsight some people manage to get it wrong.  

I know.  But you being wrong is pretty common so it's not THAT surprising.

[IGotWorms]

29 minutes ago, Strike said:

I've said since the day we invaded the place that we should get in, do our business, and GTFO.   Said the same thing about Iraq.  We don't need to be in the business of "nation building."  If you fock with us we will take you out and devastate your country.  Then we will leave and let you pick up the pieces.  That's how it should be.

That said, Biden focked up big time in the implementation of leaving.  He literally left Bagram airfield in the middle of the night without even doing the Afghan's the courtesy of telling them he was leaving:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-06/us-left-bagram-airfield-at-night-didnt-tell-new-commander/100272238

IMO this destroyed the morale of the fighter's we've been training for the last 20 years.  Maybe they would have folded just as easily had we not slipped away in the night, but it's easy to understand people questioning fighting for a cause when their biggest "ally" just bailed on them without even telling them. 

And as much as I think we should have just gotten in and out, I feel horrible for all the vulnerable people who are going to die due to the Biden administration's incompetence on this issue.  A lot of girls, women, and even Afghan's who worked with us have already been and are going to continue to be brutally raped and/or murdered.  That blood is on Biden's hands.  Not that he cares.  He's on vacation.

Lol

[Utilit99]

You focking idiots who helped to vote in this shlt government should all be shot.

From our own borders to across the world these dumbasses led by king dumbass creepy joe are destroying this country in every possible way they can. 

212,672 border crossings in July alone while many people's kids haven't seen a school room all year. 30,000 "gotaways" per month is skyrocketing too. Cartels bring in truckloads of kids and dump them on the border and while they are being taken care of they send in that bad guys with all the drugs where they won't be seen.  Identity politics running through our society. People receiving checks while sitting on their fat asses with businesses not able to open because creepy joe won't turn off the money faucet. Police are quitting in every state. Etc. etc. etc........

Now this disaster. How many people will get their heads chopped off today in Afghanistan I wonder, while the creep in chief plays tough guy as he lies his dumb ass off to the people here. Want to do some pushups tough guy!!!! 

He should have stayed in his focking basement.

Damn, things are really bad in this country right now.

[Strike]

Just now, IGotWorms said:

Lol

Has a lot more depth and analysis than your typical post.  Keep up the good work!

[IGotWorms]

1 minute ago, Strike said:

Has a lot more depth and analysis than your typical post.  Keep up the good work!

There’s not much to say. You agree Afghanistan was a mistake and after TWENTY YEARS we had to leave, but you’re so partisan you can’t help but try to blame Biden for it anyways.

It’s just laughable.

[IGotWorms]

I wouldn’t have blamed trump, full truth. It was time to go, it was never going to end well. It’s very unfortunate but that’s it.

In fact I sorta do blame Trump for NOT getting us out when it was one of his central promises. He didn’t want to look weak and hold the bag politically. I get it. But courageous he was not, not on Afghanistan anyways.

[Strike]

1 minute ago, IGotWorms said:

There’s not much to say. You agree Afghanistan was a mistake and after TWENTY YEARS we had to leave, but you’re so partisan you can’t help but try to blame Biden for it anyways.

It’s just laughable.

I don't blame Biden for Afghanistan you tard.  I blame him for how we left, and I posted a link to one specific thing he did that isn't debatable that was problematic.  Or do you think it was as good idea to leave our largest logistical facility in Afghanistan without even bothering to tell our "allies" in Afghanistan that we were doing so?

[MDC]

11 minutes ago, Strike said:

I know.  But you being wrong is pretty common so it's not THAT surprising.

This from the guy who in 2021 thinks invading Iraq was a good idea.

 

[DonS]

20 minutes ago, Cdub100 said:

While I agree with most of you we shouldn't have ever gone there. The fact is we did and we were there for 20 years. We can't change that.

American men and women gave their blood sweat and lives over there.

I spent the last 13 year of my career supporting those men and women. Weeks and months away from my family making sure they could come home in one piece. I had a few opportunities to go to Afgan for a short tour, but it never lined up with what I had going on. (I was lucky enough to decide when and where I wanted to go as an Army Civilian.) Others not so much.

 

I never supported that war on a personal level, but I worked hard to keep our warfighters safe. I have very mixed emotions today. There is no honor here. All our work was for nothing. 

Yep, I feel the same way. 

Proudest point of my career was showing the data we collected to the team and the Intel guy recognizing one of the black Toyota hilux's from the imagery.  The Scan Eagle team on base were surveilling the town where the truck was sighted that very night so we hurried over with our laptops to help compare the daytime imagery to the live night feed.

The Scan Eagle guys had built a nice little compound with couches, a bar, and barbeque.  Those goat fockers are probably going to have a nice rape party there if they haven't already.

 

[DonS]

52 minutes ago, Strike said:

 

Those CH-47s have been around forever it seems. 

[fandandy]

I see the Taliban is ending up with our military hardware.  Why does this seem to be our MO of late?

[TimHauck]

1 hour ago, Strike said:

I've said since the day we invaded the place that we should get in, do our business, and GTFO.   Said the same thing about Iraq.  We don't need to be in the business of "nation building."  If you fock with us we will take you out and devastate your country.  Then we will leave and let you pick up the pieces.  That's how it should be.

That said, Biden focked up big time in the implementation of leaving.  He literally left Bagram airfield in the middle of the night without even doing the Afghan's the courtesy of telling them he was leaving:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-06/us-left-bagram-airfield-at-night-didnt-tell-new-commander/100272238

IMO this destroyed the morale of the fighter's we've been training for the last 20 years.  Maybe they would have folded just as easily had we not slipped away in the night, but it's easy to understand people questioning fighting for a cause when their biggest "ally" just bailed on them without even telling them. 

And as much as I think we should have just gotten in and out, I feel horrible for all the vulnerable people who are going to die due to the Biden administration's incompetence on this issue.  A lot of girls, women, and even Afghan's who worked with us have already been and are going to continue to be brutally raped and/or murdered.  That blood is on Biden's hands.  Not that he cares.  He's on vacation.

This seems like a fair criticism.  But based on what’s happened I’d be willing to bet that yes they would have folded just as easily. 

[Utilit99]

5 minutes ago, fandandy said:

I see the Taliban is ending up with our military hardware.  Why does this seem to be our MO of late?

They probably are using it right now as they move forward in their march. 

And then they will be....(in creepy joe's own words)

"You have the Afghan  Taliban troops that’s 300,000 well-equipped — as well-equipped as any army in the world — and an air force.."