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U.S. sending 3,000 troops for partial Afghan embassy evacuation

57 Comments
By ROBERT BURNS, MATTHEW LEE and ELLEN KNICKMEYER

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Well, this is turning into a humanitarian, PR and geo-strategic disaster.

Gee, who saw this coming?

12 ( +12 / -0 )

from one defeat to another.Saigon 2021 Kabul ver.

After trillions was spent and 20 years after first boot on the ground.

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-war-in-afghanistan-has-cost-the-us-226-trillion-2021-4

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Twenty years and what has the West achieved. Not a lot. Cost a lot of lives.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

The world will soon have to deal with Afghanistan government of Taliban.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Militarily the US was extremely successful until the Korean Conflict and Vietnam. For the most part, the US these past 55 years has had a dismal record of post battle objectives and security being met. I can't stop seeing the image of the rooftop of the US Embassy in Saigon from April 1975 when I read this article.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

This really reminds me of the end of Vietnam war a long time ago. All US soldiers and local supporters left Vietnam like this and they also left so many US military dogs there. History repeats again.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Pull them all out and level the building. Or at least take out the plumbing and electrical wiring as they don’t use them there anyway. Leave a few boxes of candles.

Get the translators and families out NOW!

8 ( +10 / -2 )

2 trillion dollars spent in Afghanistan, 1000s of America and many more afghans killed for what?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

What was the point of the recent long war in Afghanistan?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Well, this is turning into a humanitarian, PR and geo-strategic disaster.

A US military band band played 'the Battle Hymn of the Republic' when Dubya Bush addressed the nation after 9/11 making it pretty clear to me the US was going to war again. And it's been a disaster since.

I recall reading those saying Bush was 'strong' because he was going to send working and middle class people off to fight another war that would benefit America and the globe's 1%, while doing further damage to another poor country, see Iraq, Vietnam, etc. The war-hawks and chicken-hawks cheered on Bush and his fellow pro-war pols in both parties as the US geared up for another invasion, another doomed to fail. See the USSR in Afghanistan for a fairly recent and similar failure.

The most likely empire to get involved militarily in Afghanistan after the US"s failure, is China, perhaps, Iran and Turkey will also get involved. Afghanistan's location and its resources will continue to attract invaders.

a wide array of mineral resources such as petroleum and natural gas. The value of untapped minerals is estimated to stand at $3 trillion. In total, the number of mineral fields containing different minerals is at least 1400. Estimates place the oil deposits in the country at around 3.8 billion barrels, mostly in the provinces of Jawzjan and Balkh. Afghanistan also has lithium (increasingly important for batteries)deposits. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-major-natural-resources-of-afghanistan.html

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

In a grimmer environment, American forces might have to fight their way in and out if the Taliban have infiltrated the city.

....if the Taliban have infiltrated the city.

Sorry fellas, there is no "if" about it.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

P.S.

One of the best selling books in China recently is titled.

100 mistakes that the U.S military have made.

I am not kidding.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

What a tragedy and evidence that the US military are pretty useless and lie all the time. As do their "intelligence" services. Waste of lives, waste of money and leave behind a devastated country. Just let the Afghans do their own thing. Although my guess is that China will be next to try its hand at some kind of intervention.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

It seems to me the biggest mistake is US has sent so many soldiers to Afghanistan after the 911 in NY. About 3000 people were killed by terrorists at that time but much more Americans and supporters than 911 deaths were killed in Afghanistan for 20 years.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Biden said in July Taliban 'overrunning everything' was 'highly unlikely'

few weeks later- "Herat, Afghanistan's third-largest city, fell to the Taliban Thursday"

now- "Pentagon says sending 3,000 troops to Afghanistan is about "prudent preparation"

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

This is Trump haphazard policy,for others to clean up, people made million off the misery of this war

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

Trump could not fight himself out of a wet paper bag,why would the Taliban fear a coward like Trump,who was routinely humiliated by ordinary citizens on a daily basis in America

1 ( +7 / -6 )

The world will soon have to deal with Afghanistan government of Taliban.

The last time the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE officially recognized them. But I imagine as soon as the globe's empires start seeing which resources they can take from Afghanistan more countries will recognize the Taliban. After all it is a material world controlled by predatory capitalists demanding more more more for me and my caste, some call that level of selfishness 'freedom', sometimes 'strength'.

Only Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recognized the legitimacy of the Taliban government. The State was not recognised by the UN, which instead recognized the Islamic State of Afghanistan as being the legitimate government of Afghanistan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Emirate_of_Afghanistan#:~:text=Only%20Pakistan%2C%20Turkmenistan%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia,the%20legitimate%20government%20of%20Afghanistan.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Trump finally did what no other US leader had done--he spoke up and said, We are in a mess, we are getting out.

Similar to the Korean War (started by Koreans), the Vietnam War (started by the French), the US was aiding the domestic armies in those wars, so blame those side, not the US. But in Afghanistan, the US did not ever have support of a large enough faction of the domestic military. Hence, Trump recognizing the pointlessness of it.

Now of course we had Biden telegraphing the withdrawal, and so we get all this news now, but it will go away soon.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

donald released 5000 Taliban prisoners in return for nothing.

He did not even consult the Afghan administration, the ones we were funding to stay in power.

Those mistakes are bearing their rotten fruit now.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

A top Taliban representative was already hosted by the Chinese government in Beijing yesterday.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Every US mainstream news source has been lying about Afghanistan for the past 20 years.

They lied about Afghanistan.

They lied about Iraq.

They lied about Syria.

They lie about everything.

Not a surprise the Russians are bitter about Afghanistan.

Not only we’re they humiliated and defeated, their country broke up because of this war!!!

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Moving people through love or fear?

The US seems to have forgotten how to capture people's hearts.

The Taliban, like the Chinese communist party, have discovered how to control people's minds.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I doubt very much China will repeat the British, then Soviet Union, then US mistakes in Afghanistan.

Sending in the military has failed 3 times. China will do things differently.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

The graveyard of Empires indeed. I truly am appalled that the Afghan people are being left to their fate. Women as "things", girls raped, stolen, married to adult men. What an utter disaster for those abandoned.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

The US hasn't won a war in strategic terms since 1945. Tactical-level victories in the field against lesser armed opponents when you have 100% air superiority prove nothing. The failure to see anything through properly since 1945 and make the nation-level sacrifices that are needed to do so reveals a lot about American society and culture.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

O.K. World, we Americans will sit back now and watch the chinese pilfer the country,

for the right price, from the Taliban.

Good Luck Afghanistan

0 ( +3 / -3 )

$2 trillion wasted. Hmm, that's double the recent infrastructure bill.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The Talibans are back. Like that dose of athlete's foot that nobody wants but refuses to go away..

Many Afghanistanis now running for Libya to try to get a boat to Italy or elsewhere in Europe. Attitudes towards refugees have hardened though and there will be suffering and chaos.

Imagine there's no countries it isn't hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Every US mainstream news source has been lying about Afghanistan for the past 20 years.

They lied about Afghanistan.

They lied about Iraq.

They lied about Syria.

They lie about everything.

Bingo!

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

China will do things differently.

Their strategy is to set up concentration camps for all the dissenters.

So sure they will try it differently!!!

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Every US mainstream news source has been lying about Afghanistan for the past 20 years.

They lied about Afghanistan.

They lied about Iraq.

They lied about Syria.

They lie about everything.

Bingo!

You've said on multiple occasions that you were part of the media reporting from those locations. Why were you lying?

7 ( +9 / -2 )

The natural law of war is lost. If you invade a country, must be prepared to destroy and conquer. Must make the people feel defeat. Be prepared as the affected people will bite back. This war will not be held just within its borders. Be prepared for spill over which will be 10 fold.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

A US military band band played 'the Battle Hymn of the Republic' when Dubya Bush addressed the nation after 9/11 making it pretty clear to me the US was going to war again. And it's been a disaster since. 

I recall reading those saying Bush was 'strong' because he was going to send working and middle class people off to fight another war that would benefit America and the globe's 1%, while doing further damage to another poor country, see Iraq, Vietnam, etc. The war-hawks and chicken-hawks cheered on Bush and his fellow pro-war pols in both parties as the US geared up for another invasion, another doomed to fail. See the USSR in Afghanistan for a fairly recent and similar failure.

Not once did you mention Obama and his administration adding more fuel, money and lives to the disaster that we call Afghanistan. The man sent 8,400 U.S. troops that stayed in Afghanistan through the end of 2016, so his administration added to the death and misery that was perpetuated to keep that war going. The Democrats supported this included Hillary, Pelosi and Schumer so if you want to blame Bush for starting the war, I would agree, at the same time Obama and his administration didn’t help, they actually were making it worse. Both parties are equally responsible for this mess that we are all in now.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Not once did you mention Obama and his administration adding more fuel, money and lives to the disaster that we call Afghanistan.

. No question President Obama did not stop Shrub's war.

But Backatcha: whatabout 45, or was his highest priority playing golf on the public's dollars at one of his tax subsidized properties which distracted him from doing anything about the slaughters going on outside the country, and also do anything about his Russian oligarch pals paying bounties to kill US and Allied forces.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Studied more. Taliban heavily funded by China. Chinese companies already in there mining away. US loses yet another war. As pointed out above constant wars since 1945 but no wins whatsoever.

Where will they invade next? Hope its not here lol

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

. No question President Obama did not stop Shrub's war. 

No, he added to the misery.

But Backatcha: whatabout 45, or was his highest priority playing golf on the public's dollars at one of his tax subsidized properties which distracted him from doing anything about the slaughters going on outside the country, and also do anything about his Russian oligarch pals paying bounties to kill US and Allied forces.

PT, nice try. Lol! Trump didn’t add to the Bush/Obama wars, he tried to end them, but was stonewalled by Grassley, Graham and Cheney as well as a lot of Generals from the Pentagon. He wasn’t the one that sent troops to their deaths. I know you hate Trump, but my God, don’t reach like that, just devalues and deflates your arguments.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

"Not my problem." To quote Joe Biden. Who supported the war in Afghanistan while in the Senate and as vice-president.

A friend, once described traveling through Afghanistan in 1970. It was an enjoyable adventure.

In 1979: Carter with his major domo Brzezinski hoped to create a version of Vietnam for the Soviet Union aka the Commie Menace, provided the foundation for the troubles in Afghanistan with their geopolitical wizardry. Besides funding the 'rebels' aka Taliban and the once CIA asset, Osama Bin Laden - after the Soviet withdrawal the Mujahideen forces created by Carter, were supported by the Reagan regime to topple the Najibullah government.

The brain-addled notion put forth by Brzezinski, the staunch Cold Warrior and anti-communist, that the Soviets were going to conquer Afghanistan, invade Iran and push to the Indian Ocean; was the supposed substantive reasoning for arming warlords, bandits, Islamic fundamentalists, drug dealing opium smugglers aka heroin and basically the dissolution of Afghanistan into a fundamentalist Islamic state. A Dr. Seuss version of the Domino Theory, which was a cause célèbre for the Vietnam War, dusted off and applied to Afghanistan with the fevered imaginings of Brzezinski. Atop that, the brilliant decision to allow the deposed Shah of Iran (thanks to Henry 'the mad bomber' Kissinger) which compounded troubled in Central Asia.

A war, that the most judicious estimates by the Military Times and Brown University Costs of War Project, estimates will surpass 2 trillion dollars.

To echo Joe Biden a hoary old man who supported and voted to fund the war, "Not my problem." Meanwhile, all the flag waving, once rabid supporters of the incursion are still enrapt in the clichés and easily embraced lies of presidential administrations who played them as rubes.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

State Department spokesman Ned Price said diplomatic work will continue at the Kabul embassy.

I sure wouldn't want to be posted there.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@Bass

You reported from these war zones and very probably have more insight than all of us here. Did you get the idea that they were doomed to failure at that time? Could they have done anything differently?

It’s just that it’s difficult to judge from the outside.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Peace in Afghanistan has not been achieved in 20 years and more.

Trump wasn't the only President over the past 20 years. There were 2 other guys who were there twice as long.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Biden said in April, America did what we went to do in Afghanistan. To get the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 and to deliver justice to Osama Bin Laden,

Also, to degrade the terrorist threat to keep Afghanistan from becoming a base from which attacks could be continued against the United States at the time. 

We achieved those objectives. 

And many of you think you know everything about America's objectives.

Unless you are American, you cannot not grasp our ways.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

“I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.”

– War is a Racket by Smedley Butler

As long as my fellow Americans continue to be led by the corporate Wall Street and corporate MSM into choosing a party, nothing will change. They are both the same.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

As long as my fellow Americans continue to be led by the corporate Wall Street and corporate MSM into choosing a party

What should they be reading and watching?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Michael Machida

Biden said in April, America did what we went to do in Afghanistan. To get the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 and to deliver justice to Osama Bin Laden,

So you point out that Biden even in April this year did not know that the "terrorists who attacked us" were dead and that OBL was in Pakistan? Wow.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

he tried to end them, but was stonewalled by Grassley, Graham and Cheney as well as a lot of Generals from the Pentagon

Wow, sounds like a weak President who couldn't get anything done, because he doesn't understand how to make deals or negotiate. Good thing such a low-IQ loser isn't in the White House now, right?

1 ( +4 / -3 )

FizzBit

As long as my fellow Americans continue to be led by the corporate Wall Street and corporate MSM into choosing a party, nothing will change. They are both the same.

Both establishment parties are. That is why they both hate Trump so much. All the Kabuki theater of partisan carfuffles is suddenly forgotten when a populist disruptor appears.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

You reported from these war zones and very probably have more insight than all of us here.

To a certain degree.

Did you get the idea that they were doomed to failure at that time?

I was optimistically hopeful at the time.

Could they have done anything differently? 

Not nation building.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

In other words, they also had not even a strategy for the withdrawal or going out of Afghanistan, too. It was clearly and easily to estimate that the Taliban will overrun the country immediately when all the other troops leave, so why not evacuate affected embassies and co-workers or other endangered civilians first and then the military? Unbelievable. Did they really think they could negotiate or make a treaty with the Taliban and manage the whole thing civilized and normally? That’s just only stupid and naive.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

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