Afghanistan
#31

#32
#33

After bringing less than 500 Afghan people to Australia over the past few months, the Australian government only yesterday announced final plans to evacuate hundreds more who'd assisted our troops. They've left it too late. I'm ashamed of my country.
Former defence chief Admiral Chris Barrie, who led Australia into a war in Afghanistan, said Australia was far too slow to evacuate those who helped Australian troops.
He said Afghans who have been left behind will bear the brunt of Taliban reprisals.
"There will be reprisals, there will be paybacks, there will be all sorts of brutalities that, I guess, will dribble out over the next period of time," Admiral Barrie said.
"For all of those people who helped us — God help them. God help them."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-...ible/100381278
Former defence chief Admiral Chris Barrie, who led Australia into a war in Afghanistan, said Australia was far too slow to evacuate those who helped Australian troops.
He said Afghans who have been left behind will bear the brunt of Taliban reprisals.
"There will be reprisals, there will be paybacks, there will be all sorts of brutalities that, I guess, will dribble out over the next period of time," Admiral Barrie said.
"For all of those people who helped us — God help them. God help them."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-...ible/100381278
#34
#35
#37
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Joined: Apr 2010
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Yes and there was not ever realistic hope of future major change. It is a beautiful country---talk to those in UK and India who have fled over the years---they would so much like to go back---now they never will.
It seems that people are forgetting the role of Pakistan. Taliban occupy north west border area of Pakistan ---oppressing the local people. Pakistan governments from the support of Benazir Bhutto to the lack of effort of subsequent governments have helped the Taliban maintain their power in Afghanistan.
#38

After bringing less than 500 Afghan people to Australia over the past few months, the Australian government only yesterday announced final plans to evacuate hundreds more who'd assisted our troops. They've left it too late. I'm ashamed of my country.
Former defence chief Admiral Chris Barrie, who led Australia into a war in Afghanistan, said Australia was far too slow to evacuate those who helped Australian troops.
He said Afghans who have been left behind will bear the brunt of Taliban reprisals.
"There will be reprisals, there will be paybacks, there will be all sorts of brutalities that, I guess, will dribble out over the next period of time," Admiral Barrie said.
"For all of those people who helped us — God help them. God help them."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-...ible/100381278
Former defence chief Admiral Chris Barrie, who led Australia into a war in Afghanistan, said Australia was far too slow to evacuate those who helped Australian troops.
He said Afghans who have been left behind will bear the brunt of Taliban reprisals.
"There will be reprisals, there will be paybacks, there will be all sorts of brutalities that, I guess, will dribble out over the next period of time," Admiral Barrie said.
"For all of those people who helped us — God help them. God help them."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-...ible/100381278
#39
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Joined: Jul 2007
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Another thing the Trump administration did, steadily & inexorably, over the course of four years, was to hollow out the State Department. Area experts left or had their departments downsized or eliminated. Trump political loyalists who weren’t foreign policy experts were inserted everywhere. Why is this relevant to the Afghanistan debacle? Because the State Department had a vital role in identifying & getting visas for vulnerable, American-aligned Afghans, people like translators who’d worked with the army etc.
Anyway, Biden was good with the general Trump/US policy; to get out of Afghanistan. For what it’s worth, he delayed it a bit. (US forces substantially withdrawn by July 4 rather than May 1.) When the Biden admin began, Jan 20 2021, after no effective transition period, they discovered that the weakened and emasculated State Dept had no plans for evacuating Afghan personnel. No work had been done toward this goal. Whether they could have done more to get this done, in the period of five months or so, I don’t know.
Last edited by robin1234; Aug 16th 2021 at 12:38 pm.
#40
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The New Yorker doesn’t represent the US Government, Pentagon, or State Department.
The New Yorker is running several opinion pieces each day on the unfolding Afghanistan situation. Obviously, each represents a different opinion and different writer or subject expert’s history.
I think that piece by Glasser is pretty good, and realistic, though.
#41

Agreed. But, to add some perspective, the United States engaged in bilateral talks with the Taliban for quite some time. (Note: Trump & the Taliban chose not to include the Afghan government in these talks.) The US (Trump) undertook to fully withdraw by May 1, 2021. Now, some might argue that part of Trump’s motivation was to hand a fait accompli, a guaranteed poisoned chalice, to Biden.
Another thing the Trump administration did, steadily & inexorably, over the course of four years, was to hollow out the State Department. Area experts left or had their departments downsized or eliminated. Trump political loyalists who weren’t foreign policy experts were inserted everywhere. Why is this relevant to the Afghanistan debacle? Because the State Department had a vital role in identifying & getting visas for vulnerable, American-aligned Afghans, people like translators who’d worked with the army etc.
Anyway, Biden was good with the general Trump/US policy; to get out of Afghanistan. For what it’s worth, he delayed it a bit. (US forces substantially withdrawn by July 4 rather than May 1.) When the Biden admin began, Jan 20 2021, after no effective transition period, they discovered that the weakened and emasculated State Dept had no plans for evacuating Afghan personnel. No work had been done toward this goal. Whether they could have done more to get this done, in the period of five months or so, I don’t know.
Another thing the Trump administration did, steadily & inexorably, over the course of four years, was to hollow out the State Department. Area experts left or had their departments downsized or eliminated. Trump political loyalists who weren’t foreign policy experts were inserted everywhere. Why is this relevant to the Afghanistan debacle? Because the State Department had a vital role in identifying & getting visas for vulnerable, American-aligned Afghans, people like translators who’d worked with the army etc.
Anyway, Biden was good with the general Trump/US policy; to get out of Afghanistan. For what it’s worth, he delayed it a bit. (US forces substantially withdrawn by July 4 rather than May 1.) When the Biden admin began, Jan 20 2021, after no effective transition period, they discovered that the weakened and emasculated State Dept had no plans for evacuating Afghan personnel. No work had been done toward this goal. Whether they could have done more to get this done, in the period of five months or so, I don’t know.
Unfortunately, the progress made could be undone in days, the only people left to deal with it are those left behind. Biden got handed a ticking time bomb, either blow it up and let it fail or extend the timer by throwing money and lives at it.
I mentioned this at work today to two of the team I work with, both looked at each other and then to me and said - what about Syria? What about Lebanon?
I'm all for being upset at the scenes and videos and situation, it's disgraceful, but they aren't the only location in the region being left to struggle and suffer.
#42
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Agreed. But, to add some perspective, the United States engaged in bilateral talks with the Taliban for quite some time. (Note: Trump & the Taliban chose not to include the Afghan government in these talks.) The US (Trump) undertook to fully withdraw by May 1, 2021. Now, some might argue that part of Trump’s motivation was to hand a fait accompli, a guaranteed poisoned chalice, to Biden.
Another thing the Trump administration did, steadily & inexorably, over the course of four years, was to hollow out the State Department. Area experts left or had their departments downsized or eliminated. Trump political loyalists who weren’t foreign policy experts were inserted everywhere. Why is this relevant to the Afghanistan debacle? Because the State Department had a vital role in identifying & getting visas for vulnerable, American-aligned Afghans, people like translators who’d worked with the army etc.
Another thing the Trump administration did, steadily & inexorably, over the course of four years, was to hollow out the State Department. Area experts left or had their departments downsized or eliminated. Trump political loyalists who weren’t foreign policy experts were inserted everywhere. Why is this relevant to the Afghanistan debacle? Because the State Department had a vital role in identifying & getting visas for vulnerable, American-aligned Afghans, people like translators who’d worked with the army etc.
What we're seeing now seems more like an intelligence/military cockup in that it wasn't foreseen that the Afghan Army would crumble and melt away in a matter of weeks. But it does highlight the fact that the US got **** all for the $87bn it spent on building armed forces there capable of holding off the Taliban.
#43

Their philosophy or ideas of running a country are as much or more f'd up than that of the Oath Takers and the rest of the Jan 6th rabble.
#44
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 7,187












I wondered how many heads would roll at the State department, and among the top generals for this long fiasco- but probably none.
#45
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Joined: Jul 2016
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In hindsight there is little if any solution to the situation. Afghanistan isn't the only country facing a similar plight. Most of Africa, much of Asia, South America, North Africa.
A Kenyan Neighbor was telling me of the plight of many poor Kenyans.
Not to mention the plight of the homeless and poverty in the US. Massively let down by the US gov itself.
A Kenyan Neighbor was telling me of the plight of many poor Kenyans.
Not to mention the plight of the homeless and poverty in the US. Massively let down by the US gov itself.