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Has it really come to this?
Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2021 3:58 pm
by billryan
Re: Has it really come to this?
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2021 2:15 pm
by FAA
This question is better suited discussing the Afghanistan crisis.
Re: Has it really come to this?
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2021 7:14 am
by Carcounter
What the hell is QAnon? Who is their leader? Where are they headquartered? Do they pay taxes? Are they registered Independents? Do they play video poker?
Re: Has it really come to this?
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2021 8:30 am
by Tablet22331
There is not an "Afghanistan Crisis." Not for the United States. We are pulling out, as we should have long ago. Thank you, Trump and Biden!
If ever we needed proof that the Afghans are a total mess, incapable of accomplishing anything, that proof came during the past few weeks when the ragtag Taliban ran all over the cowardly, fleeing national Afghan military, and then the president of the country fled like a little lamb.
Hindsight is 20/20. Instead of going into Afghanistan (and Iraq) with the goal of nation building, we should have gone in with the goal of quickly extinguishing bin Laden and then coming back home. Policing and improving the world, and especially incompetent, incapable little ragtag countries, is not our business. Did we not learn that in Vietnam?
Re: Has it really come to this?
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2021 8:50 am
by Carcounter
Tablet22331 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 17, 2021 8:30 am
There is not an "Afghanistan Crisis." Not for the United States. We are pulling out, as we should have long ago. Thank you, Trump and Biden!
If ever we needed proof that the Afghans are a total mess, incapable of accomplishing anything, that proof came during the past few weeks when the ragtag Taliban ran all over the cowardly, fleeing national Afghan military, and then the president of the country fled like a little lamb.
Hindsight is 20/20. Instead of going into Afghanistan (and Iraq) with the goal of nation building, we should have gone in with the goal of quickly extinguishing bin Laden and then coming back home. Policing and improving the world, and especially incompetent, incapable little ragtag countries, is not our business. Did we not learn that in Vietnam?
Agree. We should have the country mapped and let the terrorists get back together at the training sites, and then take them out.
Re: Has it really come to this?
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:55 am
by billryan
We spent a fortune training the Afgan air forces but didn't trust them as far as the supply chain, maintenance , and logistics. Instead, the US had a contractor force of over 7,000 American and NATO country members filling those duties. When they were pulled out in the last few weeks, there was no one to maintain the planes and replenish any bombs or bullets.
The bravest pilots can't do much if they can't get their planes loaded or off the ground.
On the other hand, the Taliban now has an air fleet but no one to supply or maintain it.
Re: Has it really come to this?
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2021 12:54 pm
by Carcounter
We could have left some forces at Bagram AFB with airpower to prevent this sh*t from happening
Re: Has it really come to this?
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2021 2:14 pm
by billryan
To prevent what from happening? Afgans from overthrowing their own government?
Re: Has it really come to this?
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2021 3:13 pm
by Tablet22331
Carcounter, why should American troops risk their lives to help people who won't help themselves? Billions of dollars and too many lives wasted in that he11hole with nothing to show for it. Don't invest one more life, one more dollar, one more day over there. We got bin Laden and the very last thing he ever saw was the American flag patch on the shoulder of a SEAL. That was justice enough for me.
Re: Has it really come to this?
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2021 4:06 pm
by FAA
Billions? Try $2T. I agree with finally leaving. In retrospect, the perfect time would have been early in the Obama administration. But he understandably would have paid a hefty political price. Hell, he built up the force! It was always going to be a lose-lose for whoever bit the bullet. The Jenga tower grew too high for our comfort and here we are. Bring on the refugees. Many will wind up in Milan too, fwiw.