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'With masters defeated, the slaves can't fight': Taliban eye victory after U.S. exit

67 Comments
By Jay DESHMUKH

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Americans who saved lives and helped countless women?

Women's rights and participation in society were at their height during the soviet times. The US supported the Taliban to overthrow the soviet supported Afghan government.

Pashtun society has never been big on women's education. The Taliban have just moved things back to the norm. Post primary education for girls was and in most cases still is a privilege for the urban elite, the ones who get interviewed on western TV. But sure, the Taliban are bad news for women. But in truth being born in Afghanistan is bad news.

13 ( +17 / -4 )

Afghanistan had a Marxist government in the 1980s, and they had their faults, but were progressive.

Reagan decided that supporting medieval minded barbarians was better than communists and that started the rise of the taliban.

The only country which has benefited from these countless killings is pakistan.

The generals are laughing their way to the banks.....

11 ( +13 / -2 )

I saw it, first hand.

A lovely place, if the people were only left alone to live their lives.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Did you find the weapons of mass destruction the US claimed to have?

You're confusing your countries.

6 ( +13 / -7 )

It will be like South Vietnam again.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Afghanistan

.

Many who went to war there have ended up leaving and things returned to as they were before.

.

The Sikh Empire invasion ..... 1837-1838

British invasions: ..... 1838-1842, ..... 1878-1880 ..... 1919

Soviet invasions: ..... 1929 ..... 1930 ..... 1979

Invasion by the United States and NATO, October 2001 - 2021.

Last one is the longest war in the past 200 years and it still ends up with Afghanistan going back to the ones that ruled at the start of the invasion. I do not see the current Afghanistan government lasting long without international military help.

.

Through out history, the mountainous landscape makes it impossible to weed out all of the ones defending Afghanistan, whoever they are.

.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

What an utter waste of human life and of borrowed money this debacle has been. All the Taliban want is toi be left alone to run their own backward state and maybe interfere with some neighbouring countries who are not much better (Pakistan, Iran, the norther 'stans...

Instead we have spent 20 years inflaming the Afghans and supporting a failed state/kleptocracy/narco regime.....

And still Washington and Pentagon insiders say that leaving will be a disaster for the US.

Another good example of how the permanent state and bureaucracy are clueless.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

Not exactly mission accomplished, America. What did thousands of US and allied soldiers die in Afghanistan for? The price in human lives isn't worth it when wars are largely started in order to test US weapons in the field.....

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Let them rot.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

This whole Afghanistan thing shows just how much a joke America's foreign policy is. What did they accomplish there? They went in because they got attacked by a guy in the country. So they wrecked the country, occupied it for 2 decades, and now they're just abandoning it, into the same conditions that they were in when America went in.

Most of the world goes by you break it, you fix it. Not in America, where it's we break it, and then leave it on the side of the road.

Which party was in charge when they went into Afghanistan? And which party was in charge of this reckless decision to just abandon the country?

Americans are really bad at foreign policying.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

we got OBL so I’m good

You and Obama did it!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"The arrogant Americans thought they could wipe the Taliban from the face of the earth," said Mullah Misbah, 

Who is arrogant? The Taliban who forces their religious views on the citizens or the Americans who saved lives and helped countless women?

2 ( +14 / -12 )

@ ulysses

It was Carter who started the cycle of war by deciding to arm the Pashtuns and overthrow the democratically elected government in order to draw the USSR into 'their own Vietnam', not Reagan.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

It was Carter who started the cycle of war

I think that's the case, but Reagan carried on in much the same way. I think we can say America supported the Mujahideen leaders (with some help from Britain's MI6) while the Soviet Union supported the Marxist leaders. I forget who supported the kids who suffered, but I guess it was their mothers.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

A lovely place, if the people were only left alone to live their lives.

Where are people ever left alone?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

zichiToday  09:11 pm JST

It was Trump who set the clock and pulled the plug on American troops in Afghanistan. Not Biden. The American people want it to end.

Oh really? Was Trump the president in 2011?

Is it possible to automatically generate facts at least?

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-obama-orders-start-us-troop-withdrawal-afghanistan/story?id=13908291

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Trump tried getting the troops out and bring them back home and Lindsey Graham, senior officials in the Pentagon and some Democrats excoriated the move hindered him from making a full withdrawal which actually astounded him and he said, he just couldn't understand how some of these people love war so much.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

This is easily as big a failure for America as Vietnam was, if not bigger. They freaked out because they got attacked, ran rampage on the middle east, destroyed the region, occupied it for 20 years, then leave it a mess without having fixed anything.

I had to wait 20 years to say "I told you so". But there it is, I told you so.

America is a complete and utter failure. Again.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The mission to overthrow Hussein was accomplished.

Clearly it wasn't, since the war was declared over 7 years later.

The idea that the next mission, to turn Iraq into a democracy, was the mission that was being hailed was made up by the media and the Dems to attack the hated Bush. That mission had just begun.

As usual. Blaming the Dems and the media for a chronically mismanaged, inept and unprepared occupation that was not their responsibility. Typical Republican behavior; create a slaughter, blame everyone else, let someone else clean it up.

Most non-partisan people understood this.

This would explain why you don't.

But - you do you.

What?

Yeah, but look what happened to ISIS, dismantled and a pathetic former fraction of itself.

Do you need reminding of the timeline of events that created ISIS and the resulting slaughter? I'll help you out; it started shortly after 'Mission Accomplished'.

I'm a civilian, I had nothing to do with anything.

We can all agree on this.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Did you find the weapons of mass destruction the US claimed to have?

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Dear Dog, with the blood and treasure expended on trying to transform Afghanistan, the homeless problem could have been solved and a space elevator to the stars could have been built.

Some benefited, hint; private equity and the Iron Triangle.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Afganistan a once peaceful beautiful country but after 50 years of wars a sad state of affairs.

Well, they can try and make it peaceful again, we tried as others, up to them now, let them deal with it all.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

It was the "you break it, you fix it" fallacy pushed by the globalists that was the problem to begin with.

Here go the Americanisms, blaming their own decision to invade Afghanistan in their freak out over 9/11 on "globalists".

You're all Americans to us. Blaming your problem on someone else only makes you more American.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

let them come, Like with OBL, Soliemani, El Baghdadi, they're meet the same demise.

Reminds me of when Dubya sailed into town with that 'Mission Accomplished' banner flapping behind him to taunt the Iraqis.

Within a few months the Americans were dying in their hundreds and the insurgents were asking the Americans, 'Do you have another challenge for us?'

Like you, him and his Republican crooks were free to act the tough guy safe in the knowledge that they wouldn't be the ones getting their legs blown off.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

So you're essentially saying that when the Jihadists tried to take down 1993 the Twin Towers the first time, it was our fault? What does that even mean, guy? Lol

You guys always ignore the failures of America overseas that led to the hatred of America where they wanted to attack the twin towers.

Just like you're ignoring your failures in Iraq, and your failures in Afghanistan. You go in, destroy nations, leave them a mess, and go home. Then you get angry when people retaliate.

How many Afghans do you think hate America now? How many Kurds do you think hate America now?

As long as America keeps destroying nations without taking any responsibility for their actions, people of the world will continue to hate America. And that unfortunately leads to attacks and deaths.

It's America's own fault. But they'll never accept responsibility, so until their country collapses to a point where their enemies stop caring, this cycle will continue.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

And we will retaliate with equal measured response should that happen.

America loves to repeat its failures. Case in point.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

And our adversaries as well

Your adversaries just beat you in Afghanistan.

Seems they're repeating their successes, while you guys are repeating your failures.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It must feel like being on the titanic, especially if your a woman. Get the black beekeeper suits ready.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

The dreams of big oil, with oil pipelines that never got built - why else did Chevron name an oil tanker Condoleeza Rice!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Another half done job by America.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Wolfpack

Oh so now it was Trump who announced that the US would retreat from Afghanistan before Sept 11th? 

Err, yes it was. The only difference is that while our "mainstream" media bashed Trump for trying to leave Afghanistan by May, they are are now swooning over the new leader to do the same by September. Go figure.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

So many experts. So few solutions. History shows that Afghanistan is fairly easy to conquer, but impossible to hold for very long. There is no good with the Taliban. The people of Afghanistan are no different than anyone else. They want health, safety, long life, prosperity, and happiness. It is they who will suffer under an organization that claims to be doing what "god wants," but what god wants is actually determined by individuals seeking to gain power and destroy anyone who stands in their way.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Do you need reminding of the timeline of events that created ISIS and the resulting slaughter? I'll help you out; it started shortly after 'Mission Accomplished'.

So you're essentially saying that when the Jihadists tried to take down 1993 the Twin Towers the first time, it was our fault? What does that even mean, guy? Lol

>

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Afghanistan has never been peaceful it’s been the buffer for over a 1000 years, Persians Greeks, Romans, India, British, Russian, American. We might have the watch but they have the time. If they want to catch up spend money on PCs. Otherwise stop jabbing the hornets nest.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

The Russian invasion took place because the Taliban had turned the Eastern part of Russia into Addicts….ask anyone FROM Eastern Russia.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Who is arrogant? The Taliban who forces their religious views on the citizens or the Americans who saved lives and helped countless women?

Afghanistan is actually a strict Muslim country not an evangelical Christian country.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Is really not the US or NATO problem anymore. The middle east will have to solve this problem themselves and come to their brothers aid. I guarantee you many nations in the middle east have the resources, manpower and arsenal to do it. if they truly care about one another and about their religion, they would have to lend a hand. Rich nation like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE etc.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Trump decided to end American troops and bring them all home.

Well the problem with that is the fact that there were still American military personnel in Afghanistan when Trump left office. Just as there were when Obama and W Bush left office. biden is president now and he announced that what his predecessors wanted was moot and that he intended to complete the US retreat by September 11th. When you are in charge you get the blame or credit for what happens under your watch. The Left blames Trump and only Trump for the deaths of 400k Americans due to the global covid pandemic during his four years in office. Well, biden is responsible for the 50# increase in deaths in his first four months in office.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Says the poster who doesn’t know Trump made a deal with the Taliban to withdrawal all US troops by May 1st.

I am fully aware that Trump did not withdraw troops from Afghanistan on his watch but was a weasel and assumed it would happen in his second term. Since biden is president he is responsible for making that decision. It’s all on him. I’d just hate to be on that last helicopter out of Kabul with the Taliban firing rpg’s at it.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Now Russia can have their turn testing advanced weapons and propping up corrupt puppet states.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Here go the Americanisms, blaming their own decision to invade Afghanistan in their freak out over 9/11 on "globalists".

There are many reasons, not just the invasion, either way, OBL is dead and any of the other radical Jihadi fools that were dumb enough to take on the US and the more radical leaders that come out and attack us, particularly the ones that hold the grudge, let them come, Like with OBL, Soliemani, El Baghdadi, they're meet the same demise.

You're all Americans to us.

Good, proud to be it, and wouldn't change it for the world.

Blaming your problem on someone else only makes you more American.

As if those words, hurt.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

So what will America's next complete and utter failure of a war be? Russia's destroying them on the cyber front. The Taliban beat them on the physical front. Their own people are eating themselves to death.

What a failure of a nation that had so much potential.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Yes, the Taliban will run the country, but it is not for the American invaders to change that. The problem is for the country itself to solve. What the Americans should do is prioritize foreign policy, i.e. no support for Sharia regimes and communist dictatorships. Alas, I do not see that happening with the current government.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Never mind that “we tr[ying] is exactly why there have been 50 years of war in Afghanistan.

Well, we learned a valuable costly lesson

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

With headlines like these, it can only mean one thing.

The cabal wants Biden to stay in Afghanistan.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Not our problem anymore. Not no more. Let the backward Taliban destroy Afghanistan and its people.

-3 ( +9 / -12 )

Most of the world goes by you break it, you fix it. Not in America, where it's we break it, and then leave it on the side of the road.

It was the "you break it, you fix it" fallacy pushed by the globalists that was the problem to begin with. The Democrats and their state propaganda arm CNN were the big proponents of this idea - well, until they decided that they could use the war as a cudgel against Bush. The US should have just gone in and obliterated Al Qaeda and the Taliban and left. It would have sent the message that there are consequences for state sponsors of terror and would have saved thousands of American lives and around $4 trillion in cash (err debt). Leave it up to the people of Afghanistan to rebuild their government. The saddest part for me was the fact that when the American people through its bipartisan representatives in Congress decided to go to war and the Left half of the country turned against the American effort as soon as the going got tough. Why should patriotic conservatives risk their lives for the half of the country that doesn't fully support them? I used to believe in the UN and the belief that a united democratic world could make positive contributions to world peace. The UN makes resolutions that they allow to be flouted without consequence - it's useless. Then when a nation stands up and forces the issue, the UN and the Left, turn their backs on that sacrifice. The heck with that. From now on, let the world sort it own problems out. The globalists aren't worth the trouble and the baseless attacks on America's intentions.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

ClippetyClop: Reminds me of when Dubya sailed into town with that 'Mission Accomplished' banner flapping behind him to taunt the Iraqis.

The mission to overthrow Hussein was accomplished. Are you trying to argue that Hussein is still in power today? The idea that the next mission, to turn Iraq into a democracy, was the mission that was being hailed was made up by the media and the Dems to attack the hated Bush. That mission had just begun. Most non-partisan people understood this. But - you do you.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Reminds me of when Dubya sailed into town with that 'Mission Accomplished' banner flapping behind him to taunt the Iraqis.

We did get Saddam, that was the one good thing about that war.

Within a few months the Americans were dying in their hundreds and the insurgents were asking the Americans, 'Do you have another challenge for us?'

Yeah, but look what happened to ISIS, dismantled and a pathetic former fraction of itself.

Like you, him

I'm a civilian, I had nothing to do with anything.

and his Republican crooks were free to act the tough guy safe in the knowledge that they wouldn't be the ones getting their legs blown off.

In war, you have soldiers and you have commanders, has been like that from the beginning of the conflict and will be with us until there are no humans left, so you're making a weak argument essentially saying that if you didn't enlist you can't really say anything, yes, we can, I can and will, not about being tough, we have soldiers for one reason and that is to fight and protect the nation, its people and interest around the world and getting rid of these people even at a high cost was worth it in the end as a sense that they No longer can hurt anyone else and if you talk about the GOP, don't forget about the Dems that signed off and supported the war, in the Senate, 37 of 49 Democrats voted for funding and supporting the war. John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Diane Feinstein, The late Ted Kennedy, and of course Joe Biden as well, but yeah, they're crooks as well. 

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

The US invaded Afghanistan for one reason: the Taliban refused to hand over OBL.

Yup and no one misses that monster.

Obama, however, had OBL taken out.

Rob O'Neill pulled the trigger, but I get it.

Without Obama’s authorization, OBL would never have been killed.

Obama had no choice unless he was an OBL sympathizer

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

So what will America's next complete and utter failure of a war be? Russia's destroying them on the cyber front. The Taliban beat them on the physical front. Their own people are eating themselves to death.

I’m just watching the Democrats ans Biden handle it while I drink my Frappichino

What a failure of a nation that had so much potential

Failure? For now most of the country, yes. Florida and Texas are doing Great so…

You guys always ignore the failures of America overseas that led to the hatred of America where they wanted to attack the twin towers.

Clinton had a chance to take out OBL and he was in the crosshairs and then he opted out.

Just like you're ignoring your failures in Iraq, and your failures in Afghanistan. You go in, destroy nations, leave them a mess, and go home. Then you get angry when people retaliate.

And we build them up, give them money, helped Germany and Japan, Cuba, given Mexico Jobs, given weapons to help our friends staring at the face of annihilation, given billions in foreign aid, nation building and So we can make the same counter argument of all the positive things that America has done

How many Afghans do you think hate America now? How many Kurds do you think hate America now?

Who cares? I mean, honesty….

As long as America keeps destroying nations without taking any responsibility for their actions, people of the world will continue to hate America.

At the same time there are other nations that love America and that are coming in by the thousands illegal as well as legal, there’s a flip mode to each story

It's America's own fault.

Every time when we had a Democrat president, they were weak as crap especially when it came to protecting the homeland I don’t want you to speak of geopolitically.

But they'll never accept responsibility, so until their country collapses to a point where their enemies stop caring, this cycle will continue.

And we will retaliate with equal measured response should that happen.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

America loves to repeat its failures. Case in point.

And our adversaries as well

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Your adversaries just beat you in Afghanistan.

Well, I think we should leavYour adversaries just beat you in Afghanistan.

Well, I think we should leave that place, but we got OBL so I’m good.

Seems they're repeating their successes, while you guys are repeating your failures.

but we got OBL so I’m good and the world is a much better place for it.

Seems they're repeating their successes, while you guys are repeating your failures.

Not really, they’re allowed to live in a war torn nation, best of luck to them. We don’t have to, we can have quality of life peace and quiet and stability, so that’s the greatest part about living in the greatest democracy.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I see a parallel with Hamas and Hezbollah in the Palestinian lands. These Islamic terrorist groups destroy the lives of the citizens of whom they hide behind when they commit their terrorist attacks.

The US spent too much time in Afghanistan.

Goodbye to dealing with a corrupt government.

US needs to focus on maintaining countries with whom it has peaceful relationships with, such as Israel.

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

Not our problem anymore. Not no more. Let the backward Taliban destroy Afghanistan and its people.

It's not like the "backward Taliban" left unchallenged in Afghanistan, have ever attacked America before.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

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